


A Crush

by LadyOfGlencairn



Category: Hawaii Five-0 (2010)
Genre: F/M, Humour, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-07-27
Updated: 2016-05-02
Packaged: 2018-04-11 13:25:32
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 11
Words: 55,351
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4437104
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LadyOfGlencairn/pseuds/LadyOfGlencairn
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Danny Williams and Mindy Shaw are instantly attracted to each other. When an interfering friend throws them together, what begins as a crush soon starts to feel a lot like falling in love. (Danny x Dr Mindy Shaw)</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Sorry, I couldn't help myself. I love the chemistry between Danny and Mindy. This story does not follow any canonical timeline and I plan to take some creative licence since Mindy is technically no longer on the show.

Sitting at her computer terminal in the office adjacent to the morge, Dr Mindy Shaw tried to keep her eyes focused on the screen in front of her. After all, the medical report she was completing wouldn't type itself. However, it was really hard to concentrate when she could hear  _him_  in the next room. In fact, if she titled her chin slightly to the left, she could even see him in her periphery.

Of course she'd known who he was the second she'd laid eyes on him some months before. Dressed more formally than his colleagues in slacks and a shirt, the top two buttons undone to reveal the strong column of his throat, Detective Danny Williams was unmistakable. His blonde hair had been slicked back from his forehead in the perfect coif that might have come off as cheesy or perhaps even unmanly on anyone other than him. But for some reason it suited him and seemed to compliment his golden good looks – a thing Dr Bergman had clearly failed to mention in his brief rundown of the Five-O task force.  _Well, good looking in a coarse, yet somewhat charismatic kind of way_ , Mindy revised, retyping the same word three times.

They'd worked together for a while now, though her interactions with him had initially been minimal. Things had changed after a particular case had affected her personally and her general mask of professionalism had slipped to reveal a hint of vulnerability. Where everyone else had respected her need for privacy, he'd paid no such heed. It had been then that she'd realised that there was more to the usually loud, abrasive-bordering-on-offensive cop. He was also remarkably perceptive. Something in the way his blue eyes had sharpened with awareness when he'd looked at her and then softened with compassion once he'd drawn her out of her shell, had been both unexpected and surprisingly welcome. She'd needed to talk about what happened; she'd just never imagined it would be with  _him_.

Mindy hadn't known that he had a daughter and had been a little surprised at the reveal, but the way in which his face had lit up at the mere mention of his child, such love and pride echoing in his words, had touched something deep inside of her. That day, Detective Williams,  _Danny,_  she corrected inwardly, had made her smile and then laugh, when she'd thought she wasn't capable of either. He'd also given her some good advice, which desperate as she'd been to find an outlet for her anger and frustrations, had decided to take.  _Surfing_ , she thought with a smile, a pastime he neither liked nor understood, but had recommended nonetheless. Listening to him had proved to be one of the best decisions she'd ever made.

If Mindy looked back, that had been the day she'd started viewing Danny as more than just another cop on the island. Sub-consciously she'd began to look for him at crime scenes, wondering if he'd show up and then feeling oddly disappointed when Detective Kalakaua and her cousin, Detective Kelly would arrive instead of Danny and his partner, Commander McGarrett. The two were obviously close, the bonds of trust, loyalty and respect between them almost palpable despite the fact that they bickered constantly. Many a time she'd stumbled upon one of Danny's long winded monologues about his partner's questionable methods of getting the job done, followed swiftly by Commander McGarrett's inevitable rebuttals. Invariably his superior's counterarguments merely succeeded in setting Danny off on another tangent. To Mindy and everyone else she was sure, their banter was amusing. There was something about Danny's honesty, his complete lack of artifice that she found refreshing, appealing even.

Ever since that day in her office when he'd crossed over that line between professional and personal, he'd started looking out for her on the job. Whenever she was alone at one of his crime scenes, he'd offer to help her bag and tag the victim. It wasn't something that was really necessary, but she appreciated it regardless. Who would have thought that the brash Detective had a chivalrous streak?

The very first time he'd helped her out, they'd gotten stuck in an elevator together - with the deceased victim. Inside that steel box suspended between two floors, another facet of the rough diamond that was Danny Williams had been revealed to her. As it turned out, the hot tempered New Jersey native was actually claustrophobic. So instead of spending the time trying to find a way out, she'd dedicated a significant portion of it working to keep him calm. With a gentle, yet firm instruction to  _breathe_ , she'd placed her hands on his shoulders intending to coach him through his anxiety. However, the second she'd touched him, it was like a switch had flipped in her brain and she'd become so  _aware_  of him: how broad and muscular his shoulders were, how the blue of his eyes were the exact shade of the aquamarine ocean at her favourite surfing spot on the North Shore, how soft his hair looked despite the oodles of product she was sure he used to keep it in place.

It had come as a bit of a surprise that she liked touching him, but she'd refrained from allowing herself to prolong the contact knowing that he was already involved with someone else (Dr Bergman really was a wealth of information when steered in the right direction). As a result she'd remained composed, talking to him in a moderate, soothing tone, while trying to cling to some modicum of professionalism, even when her heart was beating so fast she was afraid he could hear it.

When they were finally rescued he'd smiled at her - that bright, radiant, beautiful smile that she'd glimpsed only a few times in passing, before he'd swept her into an embrace that had  _surrounded_  her. There was no other way to describe it. People hugged all the time; polite, sometimes affectionate brushes that could feel more awkward than comforting. But this had been like being enveloped in the arms of a bear - strong, warm,  _safe_. Caught up in his relief, she'd reciprocated, wrapping her arms around him and holding on for dear life. Hands down, nothing since had beat that experience.

Mindy knew she was in trouble. There was something about Danny, more so when he smiled, that affected her on an elemental level. Perhaps it was that boyish charm that rolled off him in waves or simply the fact that what you saw was what you got. He didn't hide behind any fancy frills. He was a good cop, tough but fair. He was also inherently kind, honest and direct. All qualities that she greatly—

"Hey Doc," a familiar voice said. "You keep staring at the screen like that, you might end up cross-eyed."

Startled, Mindy looked up to see the object of her musings standing in front of her desk with that open, unguarded expression she was coming to know so well. The smile that played around his lips had her stomach doing somersaults.

"Detective Williams," she replied, amused. "That sounds suspiciously like something a Dad would tell his daughter."

He shoved his hands into his pockets and grinned, his blue shirtsleeves rolled up to reveal his muscular forearms. "Guilty as charged. Grace went through a big computer game phase. She actually believed that."

Mindy laughed. "Really?"

"Yeah. Well, for a while at least. Until she talked to her friends and realised I was pulling the wool over her eyes."

Mindy cocked her head to the side, intrigued. "What happened?"

Danny smiled sheepishly and touched a hand to the back of his neck. "We struck a 'compromise'," he said, using his fingers to air quote. "One that I think greatly advantaged her and not me so much. But you know. Kids."

"She sounds like a smart girl."

"She is," he agreed. They were staring at one another, both of them smiling. Mindy could feel her palms growing clammy.

"How's your son?" she asked spontaneously, surprising herself at the forthright question. Dr Bergman had mentioned that he'd recently discovered that his ex-wife's youngest child was also biologically his. Danny looked taken aback and Mindy flushed, appalled. She shook her head, deeply apologetic. "I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to pry. Dr Bergman told me about the operation and I just wanted to know if he was okay. I would never have—" She knew she was rambling, but she felt the need to explain herself.

Danny held up a hand, stopping her mid-sentence. "It's okay, don't worry about it. I figured everyone would find out eventually."

Still uncomfortable, Mindy gave him a rueful smile. "He's doing better, I hope?"

"Yes, thank God," he acknowledged and it was hard to miss the flash of pain in his eyes. "It's just weird, you know? You see a kid a hundred times and you never question his parentage. Then boom. One day everything changes and you're knocked for a loop. Strangers become family."

"I can't imagine," Mindy replied, sympathetically. And she couldn't. While she didn't know the circumstances and was reluctant to judge, the obvious pain the man in front of her was in, made Mindy dislike his ex-wife just a little. "But now you finally know the truth and at least he's still young."

Danny shuffled slightly, looking surprisingly vulnerable. "Yeah, there's that. Although, try as I might, I'll never be able to make up for lost time." He took a step towards her desk. "I've missed so much of his little life and I can't help being so angry at Rachel right now, you know? I feel all this resentment that I can't shake. I try not to show it when I'm around Grace because she doesn't need that in her life, but it's hard." He laughed suddenly, lifting a hand to pinch the bridge of his nose. "And why I'm telling you all this, I have no idea. I'm fairly certain you have better things to do than listen to my mindless ramblings."

Mindy jumped to her feet and walked around her desk, touching his arm compassionately. "Not at all. I may have no idea what you're going through, but a wise man once told me that sometimes you need to find an emotional outlet – something to take you away from it all. Perhaps it's time he took some of his own advice?"

Her belly erupted in butterflies when his lips kicked up at the ends.

"Hey Danny!" Commander McGarrett poked his head inside the office. "You coming or what?"

Disconcerted, Mindy stepped away from Danny and nodded at the former Navy SEAL. "Hi Commander."

"Dr Shaw."

"I'll be right there," Danny said, glancing over his shoulder at his partner.

Commander McGarrett looked from one to the other, his gaze assessing. "I'll wait in the car."

"How  _is_  the surfing going?" Danny asked, his lips still twitching.

"Good. Really good. Thanks again for the advice."

Their eyes connected. "Well," Danny said, shifting his weight from one foot to the other. "Like I said, I don't quite get it, but if it works…"

Mindy smiled. "It has, a lot. Perhaps sometime you might even care to try it?" she teased.

He laughed, a genuine, full-bellied sound that thrilled her down to her toes. "I, uh, I don't know. Me and surfboards aren't really good friends. Actually, me and the ocean…" He shook his head, still chuckling.

"Well, if you change your mind, I'd be happy to coach you, Detective Williams," she replied, grinning back at him.

"Danny, please," he said with a wave of his hand.

"Danny," she amended softly.

Their eyes met. "Maybe. I'll think about it."

"You do that." Mindy couldn't stop grinning.

He stepped back, his smile still lingering. "Uh—I guess I'll see you around."

"Yeah, I guess so." Silence descended but neither one looked away.

"Err…right," Danny turned to exit. "Bye."

When he closed the door behind him, Mindy slumped backward against her desk, expelling the breath she hadn't known she'd been holding.

It was official. She liked him. She liked him  _a lot._


	2. Chapter 2

Standing outside the local Starbucks, Danny waited for Steve to emerge with his drink. It was a hot day in Oahu, and he missed the air conditioning inside Five-O's headquarters. But because his partner was determined to grab a hot, or in this case, cold beverage before reaching the office, he'd reluctantly agreed to tag along. Then again, it's not like he had much of a choice when he was the passenger in his own car. Shaking his head, he squinted through the opaque windows of the coffee giant and caught sight of his best friend and boss waiting beside the counter to collect their order.

Restless, Danny turned and walked towards the magazine vendor a few steps away. Nodding at the owner, he reached out a hand to shove past the bevy of popular beauty magazines he believed was solely aimed at lowering young women's self-esteem. Disgusted with a particular issue that promised its readers would 'Lose a Dress Size in 3 Days,' he snorted loudly before thrusting a copy of _Hawaii Golf_ in front of it.

He couldn't believe women bought into that crap. The first time he'd seen Grace mooning over the glossy pages of some teen magazine, he'd lost it, and spent the next hour lecturing her on how she should never compare herself to those airbrushed imitations. His daughter had merely rolled her eyes at him and dutifully promised never to open one again. Of course Danny wasn't stupid enough to believe her, but he made sure to regularly reinforce the fact that she was perfect, without the help of any artificial enhancers.

Lowering his gaze, his eyes fell on the cover of _The Surfer's Journal_. Impulsively picking it up, he began leafing through the colourful pages. Almost immediately he was reminded of Dr Mindy Shaw. He hadn't seen her since he'd bumped into her at the morgue a couple of days ago, and he simply refused to examine why he'd been disappointed when he'd made a trip down there earlier that day only to find Max working alone. Perhaps if Steve hadn't been with him, he might have asked where she was. But since he didn't feel like facing an inquisition, he'd let it go.

Danny had met her for the first time working a case. It had been clear at the time that she'd known who he was before they'd been properly introduced. He remembered thinking she was pretty and obviously smart if Max had agree to work with her. Over time they'd gotten to know one another superficially when they worked crime scenes together and before he knew it, he found himself looking forward to seeing her on the job.

He'd realised that he might be in a bit of trouble when he caught her crying outside the morgue a couple of months back. The sight of her swollen, red rimmed eyes had stirred his compassion, his immediate instinct to comfort her. He would have asked her what was wrong, but it hadn't seemed like the appropriate time. According to Max, she was suffering from the effects of witnessing the depths to which humanity could sink. Perhaps it was his instincts, honed over years as a detective that made Danny think that it was more than that. Regardless, he'd admired the way she'd pulled herself together in order to take them through her autopsy findings. Later when he'd managed to catch a private moment with her he'd asked her about it and she'd opened up immediately. The case reminded her of someone she'd once known, a college friend who'd gone missing, her body never recovered. As they'd talked he'd found himself revealing bits of himself, sharing his own ways of coping with the horrors they faced on a daily basis. In the end he'd offered her some advice and been gratified to learn weeks later that she'd taken him up on it – surfing.

The memory made his lips twitch. He didn't get it. People back in Jersey surfed. They went to the beach. Just not with the frequency with which people in Hawaii did. Out here it was like a religion.

"Since when are you interested in surfing?" Steve asked, peering over his shoulder.

Startled, Danny snapped the magazine shut and shoved it back into its slot on the stand. "It's called passing the time."

Steve raised a brow and handed over Danny's iced mocha before walking towards the car. "This doesn't have anything to do with the very attractive doctor you advised to take up that particular sport, does it?"

Danny choked on his drink, glaring at Steve over the top of his straw.

"I'll take that as a 'yes'," Steve replied good-naturedly, sliding behind the wheel.

"No, that was not a 'yes'. That was my coffee trying to kill me," Danny retorted after a fit of coughing. Grabbing a napkin from the glove compartment, he swiped ineffectively at the brown stains soaking into his white shirt. _Shit._

"I saw you with her the other day, all smiles," Steve said, sending a knowing look his way.

"Wait a minute. So that's the basis of your entire argument? The fact that I was smiling?" He shook his head, not bothering to disguise his mockery. "Congratulations, Steve. You're a genius."

"Why thank you, Danny. I appreciate you saying so."

"That was not a compliment, you moron."

"So you admit it?"

"Admit what?" Danny asked, exasperated.

"That you were making doe eyes at the good doctor?"

" _Doe eyes_? What are you, twelve? Who says stuff like that?"

"The gentleman doth protest too much, methinks," Steve said calmly, steering the vehicle out of the parking lot.

"Clever. I see what you did there, Shakespeare," Danny countered sarcastically. "If you must know, Mindy and I are just friends." _The fact that I find her attractive is irrelevant._

" _Mindy_ , is it?" Steve issued a low whistle. "I still call her Dr Shaw."

"That's because you're a barbarian and she's clearly a woman of taste."

Steve chuckled, unfazed by Danny's surly responses. "Come on, admit it, you like her."

Danny slumped into his seat. Of course he liked her. What was not to like? She was smart, beautiful, funny. But his life was a mess, way too complicated to involve a third party in. Besides, Mindy deserved someone without baggage – a teenage daughter, a son he barely knew, an ex-wife he wasn't sure he'd fully forgiven for being selfish and short-sighted. "She's… nice," he conceded with a shrug.

"Nice?" Steve replied in disbelief. "A grilled cheese sandwich is nice. This coffee is nice. Are you seriously comparing the only hot doctor we know to a beverage?" he asked, waving his paper cup in Danny's face.

"Hey! Watch it!" Danny snapped, eyeing the brown liquid sloshing dangerously close to the rim of Steve's cup.

"Honestly, the way you were looking at her, definitely seemed more than just friendly to me," Steve continued. "Why don't you ask her out? Dinner? A movie?"

"Are you kidding me? Have you forgotten that my life is like crazy town right now? I don't have time to date," he replied, gesticulating with his one available hand.

"Is that why you broke up with Amber?"

"Among other things," he evaded. The truth was, he hadn't really been all that into Amber. Also, she'd freaked out when he'd told her about Charlie. Never a good sign.

Steve nodded. "Fair enough. I get that things are a little complicated, but that doesn't mean that your life has to come to dead stop. Loathe as I am to admit this, but there's more to you than just your kids, Danny."

"What a stellar endorsement, my friend. Truly, I'm humbled." Pinching the bridge of his nose in annoyance, he added, "I appreciate your concern, really I do, but this is none of your business. So how about you butt out and drop it?"

"Like you butt out of my relationship with Catherine?"

 _Damn_. Steve had him there. "Look, I'm not in a position right now to ask anyone, especially someone like Mindy, to get involved in the circus that surrounds me, okay? She's—" He paused. "Different. She deserves better."

"You're saying she deserves _better than you?_ What does that even mean?" Steve negotiated the midday traffic with ease, his gaze flitting between Danny and the road. "I'm going to be serious for a second and tell you something I would never say under ordinary circumstances. You're a great guy, Danny. You're the best friend and partner I've ever had, not to mention the fact that you're a fantastic father. I guarantee you – Mindy could do a hell of a lot worse than you."

Danny stared out of the window, touched despite his discomfort around their current topic of conversation. "Thanks buddy, that's really nice of you to say, but—"

"No _buts_ ," Steve interjected as they pulled up outside Five-O's headquarters. "If you don't like her, then fine. But if you do, just ask her out."

Danny sighed, unbuckling his seatbelt. "Alright, Dr Phil. I'll think about it." But he knew he wouldn't. Mindy Shaw was not for him.

"Well, I suggest you think fast because here she comes. Dr Shaw!"

Danny's heart slammed against his ribs as he eased out of the vehicle just in time to see an attractive woman in a pair of dark blue scrubs walking towards them.

* * *

 

Her shift over, Dr Bergman had asked Mindy if she wouldn't mind dropping off some urgent paperwork for Detective Kelly at Five-O's HQ. Despite being happy to help, she'd felt torn about the possibility of running into Danny. She liked him but she wasn't sure how he felt. Besides, he had a girlfriend? It was best that she avoid him until she got over her crush. Regardless of her resolve, she'd been a little deflated when she realised he wasn't there. So, task done, Mindy shook off her confusion before exiting the building and heading out into the brilliant summer sunshine. It was a beautiful day, the weather clear and bright, the conditions perfect for the beach. She'd already decided to catch some waves when she'd left home that morning, so she'd packed her kit in her car.

Startled when she heard her name, she looked up to see Commander McGarrett stepping into her path. "Commander!" she said, surprised. "Loitering outside? Aren't you supposed to be solving crimes?" she teased.

He laughed, gesturing to his Starbucks cup. "Coffee run. And it's Steve. Where you off to?"

Mindy caught a flash of white in her periphery and turned to see Danny approaching. She tried not to notice how handsome he looked in dark grey slacks and a button down shirt curiously flecked with brown stains. He inclined his head in greeting. "Uh…" She tried to swallow, her throat suddenly dry. "My shift's over so I volunteered to drop off some documents for Detective Kelly. Now I'm heading to the beach."

"The beach!" Steve repeated, nodding towards his colleague. "Hear that, Danny? Dr Shaw is going _surfing_."

Confused, Mindy looked from one man to the other. The Commander was behaving strangely and if the glare his partner shot him was any indication, Danny thought so too.

"Right here, Steve," Danny said drolly, raising the hand holding his drink. "Not deaf."

"I didn't take you for an iced coffee kinda guy," Mindy said.

He smiled, pushing his free hand into his pocket. "Yeah, well, I'm just full of surprises."

"Oh really?" she asked. She didn't mean for the question to sound so flirtatious, but the sight of that smile made her stomach do cartwheels.

Steve cleared his throat loudly. Embarrassed, Mindy's eyes dropped to the floor, her fingers toying with her car keys.

"You going alone, Dr Shaw?" Steve asked.

"Mindy, please and yes, I'm going alone."

He nodded thoughtfully. "Would you like some company?"

Surprised, she stared at him. "Err, do _you_..?" her words trailed off. She liked the Commander well enough, but the offer seemed peculiar.

"Oh, no, no. Not me," he replied hastily, realising that she thought he was offering to accompany her. "I was thinking about Danny here."

" _What?!_ "

" _What?!_ "

Mindy and Danny spoke in unison. She didn't know if she should be offended at the vehemence with which he voiced his objection. Then again, her tone was exactly the same as his – but she knew why she should avoid him. She wasn't sure what his motivation was though.

"Steve, in case you've lost your mind while I wasn't watching, I'm on duty. I can't go surfing," Danny said. "And, more importantly, as you are well aware, I don't do surf, sun or sand."

"Seriously? You do know where you live, right? This is Hawaii, not Alaska. It's pretty hard to avoid those things."

"Alaska? What are you—?" Danny took a deep breath. "For your information, I avoid them just fine."

"Believe me, it shows," Steve retorted. Amused, Mindy listened to them bicker. She was trying hard not to laugh.

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" Danny demanded, clearly incensed.

Steve waved a hand dismissively. "Nothing. You wouldn't understand. Anyway, like I was saying, it's a quiet day. You could do with a break. Weren't you just telling me how crazy things have been?"

Suddenly Danny's piercing blue eyes were focussed on her. "Would you excuse us for a second?"

"Yeah, sure. I'll just drop my bag in the trunk." She continued past them and stopped at her car, shamelessly trying to eavesdrop while she shoved her purse and backpack into the back of her Trax.

"What's the matter with you, huh?" she heard Danny hiss. "What did I just say to you? Don't you ever listen?" He wasn't talking loudly, but thanks to the breeze, his words carried her way.

"Come on. You need a break. This is a perfect opportunity," Steve reasoned.

"Which part of _I-do-not-surf_ do you not understand?"

"Then don't surf. Sit on the sand, swim, I don't know…maybe talk to _her_?"

Mindy could feel the heat rising in her face. She could sense they were looking at her. In an attempt to appear distracted, she started rearranging her swimming gear in her tote.

"Look, I can't just leave—"

"Of course you can, I'm the boss. I'm telling you to go."

"Even if for some stupid reason I agree to this, what the hell am I supposed to swim in? Does this look like beach wear to you?"

"I don't think you want me to answer that. But seriously, there are stores selling what you'll need on every street corner."

"Steve—"

"So it's settled then? Great. Mindy?"

She turned around to see Danny gnashing his teeth together in obvious annoyance. Conversely, Steve's face held a smug look of triumph. "Yeah?"

"Looks like you've got a partner." He patted Danny on the shoulder. "Enjoy the afternoon off, buddy. You can thank me later." With that, he walked away.

Danny stood glaring after him. Mindy, more than a little uncomfortable, spoke first. "I know you're not really into this, so if you don't wanna come, you don't have to."

His head swivelled towards her, the sun glinting off his blonde highlights. Mindy knew she was giving him an out. She'd already convinced herself that he'd refuse when he replied, "Sure, why not? I can't promise that I'll actually be any fun because me and the beach and all that…" His mouth curved into a reluctant smile. "But what the heck?"

Astonished and suddenly a little nervous, she licked her lips. "Are you certain? I mean, I wouldn't be offended or anything." _Disappointed, but not offended._

"No, I'm good. I guess I could do with some fresh air."

"Um, okay. Your car or mine? Or both?" she added hastily in case he preferred to travel separately.

Danny patted his pockets, then groaned. "Dammit. Steve has my keys. Do you mind?"

She shook her head. "Not at all. Hop in."

Traffic was manageable as they headed towards her favourite spot on the North Shore.

"You're a pretty good driver," Danny said, glancing her way.

"Why do I get the impression that's high praise?"

He grinned and her belly flip flopped. "It is. Steve prefers to drive when we're together and to be perfectly honest I always fear for my life when he's behind the wheel. This is a nice change."

"Why do you let him drive?" she asked curiously.

"Because he's a control freak and constantly being coached while I'm driving is marginally worse than yelling at him while he does."

She laughed, genuinely amused. "You two have a great relationship."

"Yeah, if anyone had told me when we met that Steve would end up being my best friend, I would not have believed them," he said, the warmth in his voice similar to the tone he'd used when he'd talked about his kids.

"You didn't get along?"

He shook his head. "Not at all. All that dangling people off balcony stuff was not my style."

"So why did you stick around?"

"Initially, because of Grace. She was living here with her mom and I needed a job that would allow me to be close to her. Then after some time passed I realised that my team started to feel like a family and Hawaii started to feel like home. But if you ever tell Steve that, I will deny it."

Mindy stopped at a red light and smiled at him. "My lips are sealed."

She watched as his eyes dropped to her mouth, his Adam's apple bobbing as he swallowed. For a heartbeat Mindy couldn't breathe, her gaze focused solely on him. The moment was broken when the car behind them honked loudly. The light had changed to green.

A little flustered, she looked ahead and stepped on the gas.

* * *

 

 _What the hell are you doing? God, this is a mistake. I should never have agreed to do this. Friends. We're just friends. Stop! Do not look at her lips again. That's not what friends are supposed to do. It's dangerous. It leads to thoughts about kisses and—No! Do not go there, Danny._ For his own self-preservation heturned his thoughts to his partner. _Damn you, Steve and your interfering. I'm going to kill you. I'm going to—_

"So," Mindy said, interrupting his murderous train of thought as they arrived at their destination, "here we are."

For the past few minutes Danny had been mentally berating himself, going over all the reasons why Mindy Shaw was off limits. The frustrating thing was he couldn't seem to remember any of them.

Stepping out of the vehicle, he looked around. The beach had a smattering of people here and there, but since it was technically the middle of a working day, it wasn't too busy.

Mindy was getting her gear from the back of the car. "Are you really just going to sit on the sand?"

Danny moved to stand beside her, crossing his arms over his chest, his eyes fixed on the wisps of dark hair that had escaped from her bun to curl against the nape of her neck. "I sense your disapproval."

"Not disapproval, exactly. But it's a beautiful day. The water is bound to be lovely. Why resist?"

Why indeed, he thought, not at all thinking about the water. "Technically I don't have anything against surfing. It's the sharks and the skin cancer I'm more concerned about."

Her lips twitching, Mindy rolled her eyes. "Are you always this paranoid?"

"You have no idea."

"Come on," she coaxed, grabbing hold of his forearms. "It'll be fun. I promise to fend off any sharks looking to rip into you."

Danny tried to ignore the softness of her skin against his. "Oh, I'm sorry, is that supposed to be comforting?" he joked. "Because I just want to let you know that it's not."

She laughed. "Say yes."

Danny shook his head. "Look, I'm not really an ocean kinda guy. I mean, I like looking at it, but getting wet, sand sticking to unmentionable places, plus the obvious threat of massive predators looking to kill me doesn't make it particularly appealing, you know?"

Mindy's hands tightened fractionally. "It's not that bad. Just give it a try. Please? For me?"

Danny sighed, feeling like a heel for disappointing her. He was about to refuse a second time when his gaze locked with hers, those deep brown orbs staring fixedly at him, the hope in them almost blinding in its intensity. _Shit._ With a sinking feeling he realised that he couldn't deny her. "Fine," he grumbled, ignoring the way his pulse leapt when she spontaneously launched into his arms with a delighted _whoop_! The embrace was short, over before it began, but he could swear he still felt the imprint of her curves plastered against him. _Shit, shit,_ s _hit._ In an attempt to gain some perspective, he stepped back and looked around. "Gimme a second. I need to purchase a pair of shorts."

Her smile was disarming. "I'll get changed and hire us some boards. Meet you down there?" She pointed towards a flat stretch of golden sand.

Nodding, Danny made his way towards a popular swimwear apparel store. Fifteen minutes later, wearing a blue board shorts, a bag with his work clothes and a bottle of the highest rated sunscreen he could find (liberally spread over his body before he'd left the store) in hand, he navigated towards the spot Mindy had indicated. Of course she was already there, and from what he could see, she wasn't wearing much – just a black bikini and a long-sleeved rash vest. Her long, dark hair had been let down, falling across her shoulders and down her back. When she leaned over the two surf boards lying parallel to one another on the sand, he caught a tantalizing glimpse of her cleavage and cursed.

Swallowing hard against the ever rising tide of attraction stirring within him, Danny decided to focus on her face. The problem with that resolution was that he found that part of her equally striking.

Mindy must have heard him approach. The smile on her face froze in place when she caught sight of him. Danny watched as she scrambled to her feet, her gaze darting between his chest and his face. _Seems you're not the only one who's distracted, pal._ The thought was not at all comforting. _Friends_ , he reminded himself.

"Nice…shorts," she said, her colour high.

"Thanks," he replied, feeling ridiculously self-conscious as he dropped the bag with his clothes and shoes as well as the bottle of sunscreen into the soft sand. Was he supposed to compliment her on her swimwear? And what did he say? Hot bikini? Surely that would sound like a come-on? Perhaps he should—

"So, um, surfing," she said, pointing towards the boards and effectively silencing his wayward thoughts.

"I think this would be the time to confess that I'm not a complete novice. I know the basics, although I can't say that I've practiced recently."

She looked surprised, but pleased. "Alright. So are you ready to catch some waves?"

Resigned, Danny bent down to pick up a board. "Let's get this over with." Despite the stoic nature of his words, his tone was laced with humour.

Grinning, she walked beside him into the water. The initial chill melted away almost instantly, the water cool and invigorating as it lapped at their ankles, then calves and eventually their knees before they flipped onto their boards and paddled out towards the horizon. Neither talked as they made their way deeper, stopping and turning to face the shore once they reached a calm, flat stretch of water. Some distance from them were other surfers lounging alone or in pairs as they waited to catch the next wave.

Slicking her now wet hair back from her forehead, Mindy sat up and glanced over at him. She was close enough for him to track the droplets of water racing from her hairline, down her throat and disappearing beneath her rash vest. Forcing his gaze upward, his eyes connected with hers, her thick, long lashes heavy with moisture.

"Admit it, the water is sublime."

Danny straddled his board, trying his best to ignore the streaks of warmth that flashed through him whenever Mindy's thigh bumped against his as they gently bobbed on the surface of the water. "I'll admit that it's pleasant."

"Just pleasant? Come on. If you close your eyes it almost feels as though there's no one else around." He watched as she did just that, tilting her face backward until the sun kissed her cheeks. "Imagine that everything is calm, at peace. There's only glorious sunshine and miles and miles of open water. How can that not be a beautiful thing?"

"Yeah. Beautiful," he echoed, his voice unusually gruff as he continued to watch her. Unnamed emotions swept through him, feelings that made him uncomfortable.

Something in his tone must have alerted her to his altered mood because her eyes popped open, clashing with his. For a moment there was only the sound of the waves as it crashed against the distant shore, and a world of nothingness beyond. He didn't need to close his eyes to imagine they were alone.

Danny cleared his throat. "Actually, err, you know you could look at it in a completely different way. Being surrounded by miles and miles of open water could also imply that you're stranded at sea. This would, in turn, mean dying a slow and horrible death due to dehydration and exposure. That doesn't really sound like such a beautiful thing, huh?"

Mindy's lips curled up at the ends, her eyes sparkling with mirth. "Wow. You're not really a romantic, are you?"

He returned her smile with a shrug. "Sure I am. But with a dash of realism."

He loved the sound of her laugh. Clear and uncensored; sincere. "Why do you hate the ocean?"

Looking towards the shore, he didn't say anything while memories rushed to the fore. "I didn't always. In fact, when I was a kid I loved it. Then one day, my best friend Billy and I were out swimming. With the current being on the strong side that day, we didn't realise how far out we'd gone until we had trouble getting back." She didn't say anything, merely placed a hand on his shoulder. "I made it to a rocky outcrop and climbed out of the water, urging him to swim to me. I was exhausted, my arms straining to reach him but the waves kept taunting us – bringing him closer one moment and then carrying him away the next." It had been a long time since Danny had spoken about it, but the memory was still crystal clear, and the emotion it evoked still close to the surface. "I watched my best friend drown that day and there was nothing I could do about it."

"I'm sorry," she said softly. "You know it's not your fault, right?"

He nodded, oddly comforted by her presence. "But there's still this part of me, you know, that resents the ocean and its power."

For a long while they merely sat in silence. It didn't feel awkward or tense. In fact, it was surprisingly easy, calm, reassuring. Mindy spoke first. "It is powerful, and it can certainly be merciless and unforgiving at times. It has the ability to destroy, to conquer to crush." She went still, her hand reaching down to squeeze his fingers. "But it also has the capacity to give life, and then to nurture and sustain it. It's more diverse than anything else on this planet and it has the gift to enthral and inspire and awe us in ways nothing else can. So yes, there is darkness, Danny. But there is also infinite beauty. Maybe if you try and focus on the one and remember to respect the other, it might make the ocean a little easier to forgive?"

An unexpected lump in his throat, Danny didn't know what to say, so he didn't bother trying. Instead, he curled his fingers around hers and squeezed back. For some reason he couldn't fathom, this woman, who for all intents and purposes was still a stranger to him, understood. Her words and the silent support that followed said that she did. Slowly removing her hand, she looked away, giving him some time.

When they heard some excited shouts from behind, both of them turned to see what the commotion was about. A wave was building, perfect for any surfer looking to catch some action. Within seconds Mindy was flat on her board, paddling away from him. "Race you to the shore!" she called playfully over her shoulder.

Danny laughed out loud. It felt really good. Dropping onto his board, he set out in pursuit.

 _Shit._ He liked her. He liked her _a lot._


	3. Chapter 3

It was nearly a week since her surfing excursion with Danny and Mindy still couldn't stop thinking about it. She'd had so much fun and she genuinely thought Danny had too. After spending a considerable amount of time in the water, they'd slowly made their way to shore so they could dry off before she dropped him back at the office to collect his car. Once she'd waved him goodbye she'd headed home without any promise of a repeat outing. Which was probably for the best. He had a girlfriend. Or did he? He'd never mentioned anyone and he seemed like the kind of guy who'd be upfront about that sort of thing. Then again, if he only saw her as a friend, he'd see no reason to divulge the status of his personal life.

Naturally, she'd seen him a few times since then on a strictly professional basis and didn't know whether to be thankful for the current spate of violent crimes or resentful that it kept her from actually moving past this…infatuation. And it was getting worse. Since _that day_ , she detected a shift in their interactions. It was still friendly and riddled with light hearted banter, but underneath there was an ease, a blossoming sense of familiarity that hadn't been there before. Though for her own self-preservation she'd made a conscious decision to avoid flirting with him entirely. Of course it didn't help that Danny always sauntered into the morgue looking like some golden-haired god, those piercing blue eyes sharp with intelligence and something else she couldn't quite decipher. The icing on the cake was usually when he flashed her one of those lopsided smiles that turned her knees to jelly. Every. Single. Time. It was maddening. Unfortunately it also made him completely irresistible.

Sighing, she shut off her intrusive thoughts and focused on closing up the body before her. She'd just discarded her disposable gloves and gown when she heard footsteps. Turning, her heart jostled in her chest when she saw Danny trailing in behind Steve.

 _Be cool_.

"Good afternoon, gentlemen," she said with a smile. Her eyes met Danny's briefly before she looked away.

"Hey, Mindy. Sorry to barge in," Steve apologised.

"That's okay. I take it you're here about the Shephard case?"

He gave her a wry smile. "I know we're pushing our luck."

She gestured to the body in front of her. "I've actually just finished the autopsy."

"Find anything interesting?" Danny asked, moving to stand across from her.

She nodded, lifting the sheet to reveal the deceased's face and torso. "COD was the stab wound to the heart. But, upon closer examination of the body, it became clear that there was a seriously fatal underlying problem."

"So the stab didn't kill him?" Steve asked, confused.

"No, it did. But only before something else could."

"Meaning he was going to die anyway," Danny stated blandly, shoving his hands into his pockets. He was wearing a light blue shirt that accentuated the colour of his eyes and highlighted his honeyed good looks.

"Yes. Based on the condition of his internal organs coupled with his wife's account of his behaviour over the last few of weeks – fatigue, nausea, aggression, peripheral neuropathy to mention just a few – I'm fairly certain it was—"

"Lead poisoning," Danny finished.

Surprised but impressed, Mindy bowed her head in agreement. "How did you know that?"

He shrugged a little self-consciously, his gaze lingering. "Reminds me of a case I worked a few years back. Dead guy had similar symptoms."

"Not just a pretty face is he, huh, Doc?" Steve teased, knocking his shoulder playfully against hers.

She laughed. "I always knew that to be true, Commander."

Danny's answering grin made her stomach flutter. "Thank you, Mindy. Please ignore my colleague. As previously established, he's an idiot."

Steve chuckled. "Keep saying that if it makes you happy, buddy." He turned to Mindy. "You're sure about this?"

"Yeah. Pretty much. I'm just waiting on the tox screen and his blood workup to confirm."

Steve reached into the back pocket of his cargo pants to remove his vibrating phone. "Sorry, I gotta take this. Danny, I'll meet you outside. Mindy, great work. Text me when the lab results get back," he called as he exited the room with a distracted wave.

Mindy reached down and recovered the body.

"So, uh, how have you been?" Danny asked, dawdling.

"You mean since yesterday?" She could swear he flushed. "Good, thanks. With Dr Bergman on leave it's been a little busy. But at least it's Friday. You?"

"Good. Yeah, uh, I have the kids for the weekend. I'm picking them up after work."

Mindy smiled. "Sounds like fun. How are Grace and Charlie?"

Danny's eyes softened with love and paternal pride. "Grace is driving me crazy as only a teenager can but I'm told it's to be expected. And Charlie's getting better every day. He's a fighter."

She lead the way out of the morgue and into the office. "You must be so relieved."

"You have no idea. If only everything could be fixed as quickly as he seems to be recovering, you know?"

She detected a note of frustration in his tone. She leaned back against her desk, facing him. "Everything okay?"

He grimaced. "Nothing time won't mend, I guess."

Mindy felt a rush of empathy. "He's not taking the parental status change well?"

Danny copied her stance, perching beside her. She could smell the faintest hint of his cologne; fresh, crisp, clean. She barely resisted the urge to lean closer. "He's coping better than I thought he would, but he's only four years old, you know? It must be really confusing. Sometimes I wonder if he's even aware of what's going on."

"Hey," she said, touching his forearm lightly, "children are resilient. As adults I think we don't give them enough credit."

He looked down to where her hand rested on his arm. "You're right. Despite the difficulties he's doing a lot better than I am."

"How _are_ you doing?" she asked pointedly, removing her hand reluctantly. His skin was so warm, as though he'd been sitting in the sun.

"Honestly? I'm not sure. I mean I'm really trying to move forward, you know? But some days are better than others. I realise that holding onto the past isn't going to make this situation any easier. Then I look at my son and I'm reminded that to him, I'm not his father. I'm like…an uncle." He smiled but there was no humour behind it. "It, uh, it hurts," he admitted, glancing at her.

The pain reflected in his eyes made her heart ache. "It won't always be that way. There's going to come a time when you'll mean as much to him as he obviously means to you. But until then, just be there for him, no pressure, no expectations. He'll come to you."

"How do you know so much about kids?" he asked, curiously.

"Would you believe babysitting throughout high school?"

His lips kicked up at the ends. "You're kidding, right?"

"Actually, I'm not," she said, pleased to see a genuine smile. "But also, my sister is twelve years younger than I am. She arrived long after my parents thought they'd ever have another child. My mom had just turned fifty and my dad was really sickly. In many ways, I raised Aly."

"That must have been tough," he said, softly.

She nodded. "It was at times. My dad died before she was three and my mom was a wreck for a long time afterward. My point is that she eventually came around and Aly never held it against her. Today they're as close as two peas in a pod even though their start was a little rocky."

"So what you're saying is that I should just hang in there?"

"Yeah. I'm saying that you should."

They stood like that, staring at one another until a door further down the hall slammed shut.

Abruptly Danny straightened and cleared his throat. "I wanted to tell you that I, uh, I had a great time the other day."

Thrilled to hear it, she replied, "So did I. You've been holding out on me. You're better than the average surfer."

"I can't give away all my secrets."

"Fair enough," she acknowledged humorously.

He hesitated. "What are your, uh, plans for the weekend?"

She wrinkled her nose. "I'm not sure yet. Probably grab a pizza after work and channel surf. Why?"

"Well, I'm flipping burgers at Steve's place later." He paused. "You should come."

Her heart leapt. _Is he asking me out?_ "Oh, I don't want to intrude—" she protested.

"You wouldn't," Danny assured swiftly. "Everyone will be there and if you don't mind your burger a little overdone, then it should be good fun."

 _So not a date, then._ "Uh, yeah, alright. I mean, if you're sure it won't be a bother."

"Please, not at all."

"Should I bring anything?" she offered.

"Just yourself…and whatever you wanna drink if it's not beer," he said with a smile.

"Beer's good. I'll bring some. And a dessert," she added.

"Okay." He pushed away from the desk. "Then I'll see you later?"

Their eyes met and held. "Yeah. Definitely."

"That's…great." He hovered a second longer. "I'll text you the address."

She nodded as he exited.

Grinning like a fool, Mindy went back to work. This was absolutely _not_ the way to overcome an ever-growing crush. But one afternoon couldn't do any harm, right?

* * *

Danny stood with a beer in hand listening for the chime of the doorbell. They were all in Steve's backyard, the smoke from the grill wafting into the late afternoon sunshine while the sound of easy conversation and laughter floated back and forth. On the grass a couple of yards from him were Grace and Charlie kicking a ball around with Chin and Abby. To his right, Kono and Jerry were manning the grill. (He'd been relieved of the duty by an overeager Jerry.) Off to the other side were Steve and Lou working on their respective golf swings.

"Brother, you keep that up, you ain't never gonna hit the ball," Lou quipped, shaking his head.

Steve stopped swinging. "I don't get it. What am I doing wrong?"

"I've told you before, quit swinging like a gorilla. It's all in the hips." Lou moved slowly from side to side to demonstrate.

"Hey, there's nothing wrong with my hips, alright?"

Lou raised his hands. "If you say so. But all I'm saying is that you're a little too aggressive. Slow down. Take it easy. You've gotta be gentle, consistent."

"Hey Danny!" Kono called, drawing his attention to her. "Isn't this usually the part of the conversation where you jump in?"

"What?" he asked, distracted, his ears still straining for the sound of the doorbell.

"Danny's mind's clearly elsewhere. Happens when a man's got a _special_ friend," Steve hinted not-so-subtly.

"Wait a minute. You're back with Amber?" Kono asked, intrigued.

Uncomfortable, Danny crossed his arms over his chest, taking care not to spill his beer. "No, I'm not. And can we please just ignore Steve?"

"Then who's he talking about?" Jerry turned away from the grill to glance at Danny.

Steve took another swing with his golf club. "Think doctor. Think morgue."

"Steve! Hey! Come on!" Danny protested, glaring at his best friend.

"Doctor? Morgue?" Jerry repeated, confused. " _Max_?"

Danny rolled his eyes as Steve, Lou and Kono chortled.

"Of the female variety, Jer," Steve corrected, once he'd sobered.

Danny hadn't told anyone that he'd invited Mindy over and now he wasn't quite sure how to do so without making it seem like a bigger deal than it actually was. _Shit._ He should have told Steve on the ride back from the morgue and probably would have but they'd started talking about the case and before he'd known it the opportunity had passed him by.

"Dr Shaw?" Jerry asked, wide-eyed. "But I thought you knew I liked her?" he muttered accusingly.

"You should never stand in the way of true love, my friend," Steve smirked, giving Jerry a comforting pat on the shoulder.

"Ha ha," Danny snapped, unamused. "You're hilarious, Steven."

"I want you to know that I'm not happy about this," Jerry murmured before turning his attention back to the burgers.

"Hang on. McGarrett's serious? You've got the hots for the Doc?" Lou asked, forgetting his golf swing momentarily.

"I don't have 'the hots' for anyone, okay?" Danny declared, feeling more than a little awkward under everyone's scrutiny. "We're friends."

"Enough with the friends' thing already," Steve exclaimed, throwing his hands in the air. "I thought we were past this."

"Are you two dating?" Kono butt in, a wide grin plastered on her face.

"No, we are not—"

"They went surfing together."

Danny wanted to punch Steve in the face. All eyes swivelled back to him.

"I thought you don't surf," Lou said, suspiciously.

"I don't—"

"Then you _didn't_ go surfing?" Chin asked, stepping into the fold with Abby. _Jesus_. Was everyone listening in? A quick glance at his kids confirmed that Grace and Charlie were still occupied with the ball.

"Look, it was a once off thing, alright?" Even to his own ears that sounded pathetic.

Chin whistled. "You must have it bad."

"What makes you say that?" Abby asked, curiously.

"Hey, guys," Danny interjected sarcastically, waving his arms. " _I'm still here_."

"Because he doesn't like the ocean, the sand or the sun," Kono explained, ignoring him completely.

"Ahhh…" Abbey said, giving him a knowing smile.

" _Ahhh_? What the hell is that supposed to mean?" Danny grumbled, defensively.

Abby touched his arm. "If a woman gets a man to step outside of his comfort zone, he should be smart enough to keep her."

Lou nodded. "Amen."

"You know, you two would make a really cute couple," Kono said, her eyes sparkling with amusement.

"I'll drink to that, cuz," Chin laughed, clinking his beer bottle against hers.

The doorbell rang and Danny's heart lurched.

Steve pointed at Chin, taking a step towards the house. "Hold that thought."

"Wait!" Danny called after him.

Steve looked back expectantly. "What?"

"That's err, that's probably, err, Mindy."

Steve raised a brow. "Wait. So you invited her over and you didn't say a word to anyone?"

Danny gritted his teeth. "Is that a problem?"

"Having her here? Of course not. The fact that you never mentioned it?" He grinned. "You know what this means, right?"

"No," he replied, irritated. "I do not know what that means. I'm not a mind reader."

Steve looked past him at everyone assembled around the grill. "Guys? On Three. Two. One…"

In unison, they all called, " _You must really like her_."

Shaking his head, Danny walked past Steve, ignoring the peels laughter. "Shut up, all of you. I can't believe this. You're like a bunch of adolescents."

Dropping his empty beer bottle in the trash can, he walked towards the front door, a keen sense of anticipation thrumming through his veins. He'd bumped into Mindy a few times since their surfing outing and had always stopped to make small talk. The problem was that afterward he was always left feeling as though he wanted more, like their brief interludes wasn't nearly enough to satisfy his curiosity about her. But every time he came close to just taking Steve's advice and asking her out, he backed away. And he knew exactly why; she scared him.

It had been a long time since he'd liked someone as much as he liked her, since he'd felt such a spontaneous connection to another human being. He'd had lovers over the years, some of whom he'd cared a lot about, but with Mindy it was different. Whenever he looked at her it felt as though someone was reaching inside his chest and squeezing his heart between their hands. Sometimes he found himself losing his train of thought just listening to her speak. Then at other times he got carried away simply staring into her beautifully expressive brown eyes; he swore he could drown in them.

After his marriage failed he'd kept his guard up around women. He allowed them close, but he never fully permitted his emotions to get involved. Perhaps his divorce and the subsequent drama with Rachel over the years had messed him up. But strangely, each time he was around Mindy he didn't feel washed up, or broken or even damaged. He felt happy. The last time he'd felt that way he'd almost lost everything. And yet despite that sobering reminder, he'd invited her to Steve's place anyway. Because he'd wanted to. Because he was tired of pretending, at least to himself, that he didn't like being around her.

Reaching the front door, he pulled it open eagerly. Mindy had changed from her scrubs into denim cut-offs, a white shirt and a pair of flat sandals. Out of its usual bun, her hair hung loose, falling around her face and shoulders in soft waves. She was beautiful.

"Hey," he said warmly, unable to hide his pleasure at seeing her.

* * *

In an attempt to keep from staring at him in mute fascination, Mindy thrust the six pack of beers and the large tub of ice-cream she'd brought along into Danny's hands. "I hope I'm not late."

He caught the items easily before stepping aside in welcome. "Not at all. Come on in. Everyone's out back." He closed the door. "You find the place alright?"

"Yeah, thanks." Looking around, she admired the cream walls and hard wood floors of Steve's lounge. It was definitely a man's domain - serviceable and practical with no frills or excess trimmings. The space was huge, with a good deal of natural light. The room had a pleasant, lived-in quality to it, both the antique furniture and the comfortable looking leather sofas appearing well used. Curiously, there were quite a few boxes standing around, as though Steve still had some unpacking to do.

Following Danny, he guided her past the staircase leading to the second floor and through the dining area to an open doorway. Drawing closer to it, she could see a large grassy backyard with the ocean lapping gently just beyond.

Stepping off the porch, she easily identified the familiar faces clustered around the grill. They seemed to be chatting animatedly, laughter erupting at regular intervals. When they saw her approaching everyone went eerily silent. Frowning, she glanced at Danny but he kept looking straight ahead. Something seemed off. A little uncomfortable, she shifted her gaze away from the adults and noted the two children playing on the grass. She waved at Grace, instantly recognising her; they'd met once before, though only briefly. The little blonde haired boy kicking a ball around with his sister had to be Charlie, Danny's son.

"Hey, Mindy!" Steve called, breaking the silence as they drew closer to the group. "Welcome. You know everyone, right? Oh, this is Inspector Abby Dunn. I don't know if you've met?"

Mindy shook hands with the pretty blonde. "Nice to meet you, Inspector."

"Abby, please."

She was heartily welcomed by all, the earlier awkwardness gone. Had she imagined it? Pushing her anxiety aside, she inhaled deeply. The air was deliciously fragranced with the scent of roasting meat and charcoal. Her mouth watered.

"Hi Jerry. Smells wonderful."

"Dr Shaw," he said formally, before giving Danny a look she didn't understand.

Mentally shrugging aside his strange behaviour, she gratefully accepted the cold beer that Lou thrust into her hand.

"You have a beautiful home, Steve," she remarked.

He looked around fondly. "Thanks. I kinda like it too."

"Heard anything from Max?" Chin asked.

She took a sip of her drink, enjoying the crisp, bitter tang of the beer as it slid down her throat. "Not really. But he did send me an email with a photo attached of himself dressed as Neo from the Matrix."

Everyone laughed.

Danny shook his head. "Yeah, sounds like Max, alright."

"So, Mindy, I hear you managed to persuade our sun fearing, sea hating colleague to take to the surf," Chin said, his eyes filled with mirth.

"Oh yeah, you gotta tell us all about how you managed that," Lou added, stepping closer.

Danny was rolling his eyes. "Seriously, guys?"

Enjoying his discomfiture, she grinned. "Basically, I begged and I pleaded. Before long I wore him down."

Fits of laugher ensued. "And what are his moves like, Doc?" Kono asked.

The sniggers that followed the question made her wonder whether they were still referring to surfing. Ignoring the heat creeping into her cheeks, she replied without thinking, "Really good, actually. He performed a lot better than I expected."

"Oh, so you were satisfied with Danny's _performance_ —"

"Stop, stop, please Steve," Danny interrupted, much to his colleagues' amusement. "What is the matter with you, huh? Can you at least try to behave like a normal person for once, okay?"

"What?" Steve asked, all innocence. "What did I say?"

Her face burning, Mindy drowned out the sound of their bickering, glancing towards the ocean in the hopes that the light breeze would cool her cheeks.

Abby stepped closer. "Don't be embarrassed. They mean no harm."

She grimaced. "I walked right into that one, didn't I?"

"Don't worry about it. They can be a lot to handle all at once."

"You seem to be doing well," she complimented.

Abby smiled. "I have a bunch of brothers. Comes in handy."

Mindy laughed.

"Burgers are almost done," Jerry piped up. "Five minutes."

"Excuse me," Abby said, politely.

The blonde joined the flurry of activity as a folding table was assembled and laid. Paper plates and cups emerged from a wicker basket along with napkins and cutlery.

"I hope you're hungry," Danny said, touching her elbow lightly.

She was about to reply when she saw Grace approaching.

"Danno? Can I have some cola, please?"

"Sure, monkey, in a minute." He turned towards Mindy. "Grace, err, you remember, Dr Shaw, right?"

Grace flashed her a friendly smile. "Yeah. Hi, Dr Shaw."

"Hey Grace. And please, it's Mindy."

" _Aunt_ Mindy," Danny corrected. She bit her lip hard so she wouldn't laugh at the way Grace rolled her eyes at her father. "Hey, Buddy." Danny touched the shoulder of the little boy who'd joined his sister. "This is one of Danno's friends, Aunt Mindy. Why don't you say 'hi'?"

Smiling at the shy child, Mindy crouched down to his eye level. "Hello, Charlie."

"Hello," he said, cautiously. Like his sister, he was beautiful. But where Grace had brown hair and brown eyes, Charlie was blonde-haired and blue-eyed, just like Danny. He'd even inherited his father's adorable cleft chin.

"That's a very cool sweater you're wearing," she said, pointing at his chest. "I love Spiderman, too."

His face split into a wide grin as he looked down at his torso. "Danno doesn't."

Mindy laughed, glancing up at Danny. "I can't imagine why," she teased.

He was staring at her, a strange look on his face. "Seriously, kid, try not to make your old man look bad, alright?" he warned, ruffling his son's hair affectionately. "Grace, why don't you take your brother inside and wash up? The food will be ready when you get back. Then you can have some cola, too."

"Okay." Grabbing Charlie's hand, the pair headed towards the house.

"You've got great kids," Mindy told him as she rose to her feet.

"Thanks, I like to think so," he replied, watching them until they disappeared. "But then again, I'm a little biased."

"As is every parent's right," she agreed. "But I do want to know something though?"

"Shoot," he said, regarding her expectantly.

" _Danno_ , was it?" She raised an amused brow. "There must be a story there."

He grinned sheepishly. "Uh—When Grace was three she tried to say my name. Unfortunately all that came out was 'Danno.' It kinda stuck."

"I think it's cute."

His lips twitched endearingly. "Do I detect a hint of mockery in your tone, Dr Shaw?"

She shook her head, charmed. "Absolutely not, Detective Williams. I promise."

"Come and get it!" Jerry called, interrupting their conversation. Waiting for Grace and Charlie to rejoin them, Danny and Mindy merged into the crowd surrounding the table.

It was easy to see why Danny referred to his team as family. They behaved like more than mere friends and colleagues. The camaraderie, the laughter, the gentle ribbing, the easy conversation was all indicative of people who knew each other well, who cared for one another deeply and who'd been through a lot together. They weren't all linked by blood, but it didn't seem to matter. If this group of individuals weren't the very definition of family, then Mindy didn't know what was.

After dinner Lou excused himself on account of having to collect his wife and daughter at the airport. Accepting his offer of a ride home, Jerry departed at the same time. After a quick clean up, Steve, Kono, Chin and Abby squeezed onto the couch to watch a movie while Grace and Charlie crammed into the lazy boy, bowls of popcorn in hand.

Cradling her cup of coffee in her palms, Mindy slipped back outside and strolled towards the water's edge. The evening was warm, the sound of the ocean lapping at the shore like a soothing balm. Ignoring the chairs, she sat down on the tepid sand.

"You alright?"

Turning slightly, she saw Danny walking up behind her. "Yeah, I'm good. Just seems a waste to spend such a beautiful evening indoors."

After a few moments, he lowered himself down beside her, his elbow and thigh brushing against hers. Her mouth suddenly a little dry, she took the last sip of her coffee before placing the mug in the sand.

"I stayed over at Steve's place once and had the TV on all night. I couldn't fall asleep with the sound of the waves so close by."

"Really?" she asked, glancing at him briefly before drawing her knees up to her chest. "You do know that people pay good money to hear this before they go to bed, right?"

He chuckled. "That was a couple of years ago. I've gotten used to it since. You know, island living and all."

"I think it's one of the most soothing sounds in the world," she said with a contented sigh.

"I didn't get that at first, but now, now I do."

They lapsed into a companionable silence. The sun was setting, bathing the horizon and the surface of the water in shimmering shades of red, orange and gold. The sky was just starting to darken, the lights from the house behind them spilling onto the grass.

"Max says you're a native?" Danny eventually murmured into the stillness.

She nodded. "Born and bred. I moved to the mainland when I went to college, but Johns Hopkins is a long way from home and I missed my family. After I graduated I found out that Dr Bergman was looking to take on some help. I jumped at the opportunity."

"He likes you." The fervour in his tone made her glance up. He smiled, looking mildly embarrassed. "Max, I mean. He, uh, speaks highly of your work."

"I like him too. He's a little…" She paused searching for the right word.

"Eccentric?" Danny offered, his lips twitching.

She laughed. "Yes, definitely that. But he's the best. I'm learning a lot."

"What made you decide to become a doctor? Or better still, a medical examiner?"

"My father," she said without hesitation. "After he died, my mom didn't cope very well. I was fifteen at the time and I can still remember the doctor that placed a hand on my shoulder and told me everything would be okay. Of course it wasn't, not for a while, but that didn't matter. I never forgot the way he made me feel – as though I mattered." She shook her head, feeling silly. "It's corny, I know. But I wanted to make other people feel that way too."

His shoulder bumped up against hers, drawing her attention. His gaze was direct, open, sincere. "That's not corny at all."

She diverted her eyes, suddenly a little emotional. "Uh, anyway, a lot of doctors view the morgue as a death trap, literally, and I guess it is. But the idea of granting the deceased one final act of kindness appeals to me. I get to speak for them when they can no longer do so for themselves. I think there's something beautiful in that."

"You're remarkable, you know that?" he said, earnestly.

Her face heated at the compliment. "I try," she joked, attempting to make light of it.

"No, really," he replied, seriously. "What you do and why you do it is important. It matters."

She swallowed past the lump in her throat. "Thank you," she said softly.

"You're welcome." He paused briefly. "So, why is a smart, attractive woman spending her Friday night with a bunch of cops? Aren't you supposed to be out breaking hearts or something?"

Mindy laughed. "I happen to like the cops in question and I'm not interested in breaking anyone's heart."

"Are you…seeing anyone?"

Their eyes met. "No. Not anymore."

She thought he looked relieved but that could just have been wishful thinking. "Tough breakup?"

"A little. He wanted to move to the mainland and I wanted to stay here. I wasn't interested in a long distance relationship so we broke it off. That was about a year ago. What about you?" she blurted, before she lost her nerve.

"Am I seeing anyone? Uh, no. Women tend to run the other way when you have kids, you know?" he explained.

"If she was the right woman she wouldn't care," she replied, honestly.

"You think?" he asked, their eyes still connected.

Mindy didn't blink. The breeze was picking up, gently blowing her hair around her shoulders. "I _know_."

His gaze dropped to her lips and she swallowed, her heart pounding against her ribcage. "My life's really complicated right now," he said, his voice a deep rasp as his hand lifted to push a strand of hair behind her ear.

His touch made her shiver, sensation trailing in the wake of his fingers. "I'm sure it is…" she whispered, leaning into his caress, her hands crawling up his chest.

"I should probably avoid romantic relationships," he continued softly, even as his palm cradled her cheek.

She shook her head. "Don't say that. It might be good for you."

The crashing of the waves faded into the distance and all she could see was him - his gorgeous blue eyes staring intently at her, the laugh lines bracketing his mouth, the whiskers of blonde hair covering the lower half of his face. His thumb stroked along the underside of her jaw, so soft and unbelievably tender. They were so close, their lips mere inches apart. She could feel his breath fanning across her face, her fingers curling into his shirt in an effort to keep him close. Wanting this more than anything in the world, she pressed her lips gently to his.

The kiss started out slow and sweet, but didn't stay that way for long. Angling his head slightly to better align their lips, Danny cradled her face in his hands, the rough and calloused texture of his palms a reminder of his overwhelming masculinity. She gasped when his tongue slipped past her lips and dipped into her mouth, the delicious friction making her dizzy. _Oh boy._ His kiss was everything she'd ever dreamed it would be and more: soft and sweet, tender and gentle, hot and hungry, deep and seductive all at once.

* * *

Danny had known the second he'd followed her out of the house that this might be a possibility. But for the life of him, he couldn't have turned back then any more than he could turn back now. He didn't want to. Not when kissing Mindy felt so right, so perfect, so _meant to be_. Which was ridiculous. He didn't believe in things like fate and destiny and stars aligning. But holding her in his arms surrounded by her softness and her breathy sighs of pleasure made him want to.

Tilting her chin just so, he deepened the kiss, his tongue exploring every inch of her mouth. She tasted of coffee and a hint of the peppermint ice-cream they'd had for dessert. The flavour was heady, intoxicating, addictive. Her hands slid up and wrapped around his neck, bringing her chest flush against his; the contact electrifying.

Vaguely aware that this was not the time or the place for this kind of intimacy, that anyone could walk in on them, he drew back so he could look at her. Her cheeks were flushed, her lips parted and slightly stung from their kisses. But it was her eyes that held him captive, those deep chocolate pools filled with so much yearning that took his breathe away. Swaying towards him, she rested her forehead against his. Neither said a word as their breathing slowed, their ardour cooling by torturous degrees.

"That was…unexpected," she said at last.

Pushing her hair back from her face, he smiled. "In a good way, I hope?"

She laughed, sounding a little shaken. "The best way."

His insides flooded with warmth. "Mindy, look…I meant what I said. My life is complicated, it—"

She put a finger against his lips. "Danny, I'm going to be straight with you. I like you. I like you a lot. And what happened here tells me that you like me too." Her gaze searched his. "I'm not asking you for anything. No commitments, no promises. At least not until we know if this has any potential. So how about we give it a shot?"

"You have no idea how much I want to agree with you," he groaned.

"Then why don't you?"

He exhaled sharply. How did he explain? "I've got so much baggage, okay? I can't ask you to get mixed up in all of that bad stuff."

"You didn't ask," she insisted, gently. "I'm offering." Her resolve made him smile. "Come on," she coaxed. "Let's start with one date. Coffee."

"Oh God. Not coffee. My track record with coffee and first dates is not great." Rachel has started with coffee and ended in divorce. He knew it was stupid but he'd rather not tempt fate.

"Okay," she said, quickly. "Not coffee then. How about lunch?"

He sighed, knowing deep down that this was a battle he didn't really want to win. "Mindy…"

"Yes, Danny?" she asked, hopefully.

"Would you like to go out on a date with me?"

Her face softened into a beaming smile. "Yes. Yes, I'd love to."

Unfettered joy unfurled in his belly. "Alright then. How about next weekend?"

"How about tomorrow?" she countered.

He frowned. "Uh, I have the kids, remember? Next week Rachel is taking them to visit some family—"

Mindy shook her head. "I meant you should bring them along."

Danny stared at her, stunned. "Wait. Just to make sure I have this correctly, you want me to bring my kids along on our first date?"

She nodded, completely serious. "Why not? Danny, they're a part of your life. The biggest part. You shouldn't have to hide them."

He felt his throat close up. "You're sure?"

"Positive," she replied, instantly.

His chest felt oddly tight. "Okay. It's settled. Lunch. Tomorrow."

Sighing softly she smiled before burying her face in his neck. An unexpected wave of affection washed over him as he wrapped an arm around her, tucking her against his side. For the first time in a very, very long time, Danny Williams' heart felt close to bursting.


	4. Chapter 4

"So, where are we going?"

Mindy heard the question as Danny attempted to shove her beach bag into the trunk of his car. He'd arrived a few minutes earlier with Grace and Charlie in tow.

"Never mind that," she replied, staring at the gear in the back of the Camaro. "How is all this stuff going to fit into your car with space left over for us?" There were still two additional bags sitting on the sidewalk outside her apartment.

Danny sighed, planting his hands on his hips. The action tightened his white shirt across his chest, drawing her attention to his impressive shoulders. Dressed down in navy shorts and canvas loafers, he looked hot. "It's all Steve's fault. He insists on keeping his SEAL equipment in my trunk. Why, I don't know. It's not like we handle covert, underwater operations on a daily basis."

She forced herself to look away from his remarkable physique and focus on his words. "Why don't we just take my car?" she offered. There was no way all of their bags were going to fit into his sportscar. At least not alongside Steve's massive bag of SEAL tricks.

"I can't let you do that," he protested. " _I'm_ taking _you_ out. I should be the one picking you up and dropping you off."

"That's a really lovely sentiment," she assured him, charmed by his desire to adhere to dating protocol. "But there are two children with us, with bags. This," she said, pointing at his overflowing trunk, "is not gonna work."

Frowning, he stared at the bags. "Are you sure?"

His obvious chagrin amused her. "Yes, of course. Park in the bay beside mine," she instructed before he could change his mind. It was almost 12.30pm and if they didn't leave soon, they were going to be late. Leaving him to unpack, she walked around the side of the car. "Grace? Charlie?" The two were sitting on the back seat watching their father out of the rear window. "Hop out. We're going to swap cars."

"Finally!" Grace exclaimed, clambering out ahead of her brother. Then she lowered her voice. "He could barely get the trunk closed when it was just _my_ bag."

"Hey, zip it," Danny called. "I can hear you loud and clear."

While Mindy lifted Charlie out of the back, Grace gave her a mischievous grin. Setting the four year old on his feet, Mindy pulled her keys from her pocket and handed them to the pretty teen dressed in blue shorts and a pink sweater. "Why don't you and your brother climb into my car while I help your dad?" She pointed to the Trax parked two bays down.

Swap complete, she tossed her car keys at Danny. "You can still drive."

"Ah, so thoughtful of you," he joked, hopping into the driver's seat. "Now will you tell me where we're going?"

"To the Kahala Hotel."

He cocked his head to the side. "Okay. I, uh, was not expecting that."

"Why?" She asked the question even though she knew the answer. The hotel was a resort and spa and probably wasn't what he'd thought she'd choose for a first date considering they had children with them.

He hesitated. "It's just…well…"

"Fancy?" she supplied.

"Yeah, a little." He shifted in his seat, glancing away. She smiled inwardly. He didn't want to hurt her feelings. "We going swimming there?"

"In a manner of speaking," she evaded.

He backed out of the bay, his brow raised in amusement. "In case you were wondering, that was a 'yes' or 'no' type question."

She smiled, ignoring his attempt to ply her for information. "Just drive, Danny."

With one of those crooked smiles that did things to her insides, he turned onto the main road.

"You guys okay back there?" she asked, turning slightly in her seat to look at Grace and Charlie.

"I'm hungry," Charlie complained.

"Seriously?" Danny exclaimed, glancing at his son in the rear-view mirror. "You had a bowl of cereal, like, two hours ago."

"He's _always_ hungry," Grace explained to Mindy.

"I have no idea where the food he eats disappears to," Danny continued, perplexed.

"Maybe I can help." Mindy reached for the bag at her feet and rummaged inside. Seconds later she removed two items. "Charlie, would you like a banana?"

"Yes, please!" He was already reaching forward.

"What should you say?" Danny prompted.

"Thank you, Aunt Mindy," he replied dutifully, his mood much improved as he bit into his snack.

She smiled, offering her other hand to Grace. "Organic chocolate bar?"

Graced nodded enthusiastically. "Thanks."

Danny glanced at her when she settled back into her seat. "You're like Mary Poppins. What else is in there?" he asked, nodding at her handbag.

"A woman's purse is a thing of wonder," she explained, smiling. "It's imperative that we are prepared for every eventuality."

Danny shook his head. "Also explains why it generally weighs a ton."

"Hey," she laughed, punching his shoulder playfully. "I just saved your ass."

"And I am grateful," he replied, his lips twitching. "Looks like those years of babysitting really paid off. You're good with kids."

She shrugged. "They're not that difficult to figure out. You just need to determine what their motivation is." She cast a look over her shoulder. "Charlie is easy."

"Food," they said simultaneously, and then laughed.

"I wish someone had told me that before I had kids, you know?"

"And deprive you of the opportunity to figure it out for yourself?" she teased. "How boring."

He scoffed. "Clearly you have no idea the effects the last thirteen years have had on my health."

"Trust me, it doesn't show," she said, without thinking. Their eyes met. Almost instantly she was reminded of their kiss. Her face must have revealed her thoughts because his eyes darkened suddenly, as though he was remembering too.

Danny cleared his throat, turning his focus back towards the road, deftly navigating through the Saturday afternoon traffic. "I—uh—guess I'll have to take your word for it."

Her cheeks still flushed, she directed one of the air-conditioning vents her way and glanced out of the window. It was a beautiful day, the weather sunny and cloudless. Perfect for what she had planned. When Danny had asked her where she'd like to go for lunch, she'd tried to think of something that would appeal to his children as well. Merely sitting down for a meal had seemed so…inadequate. So, calling on a friend for help, she'd arranged something she hoped everyone would enjoy. She'd meant it when she told him that she didn't want him to hide his children from her. If there was one thing she knew for certain about Danny Williams, it was his love for Grace and Charlie. If any woman wanted to be a part of his life, she'd have to accept that his kids came first. Personally, Mindy admired that about him. There were far too many men who didn't take their responsibilities seriously. She loved that he did.

Before long they arrived at their destination. Asking Danny to park close to the entrance, they exited the vehicle and grabbed their bags.

"Come on, this way," she said, her own excitement building.

"Aunt Mindy, where are we going?" Charlie asked, grasping his father's hand.

Mindy brushed his hair back from his forehead. "You'll see soon. It's a surprise."

Entering the resort, she led them towards the reception desk. Halfway there, she heard her name. Glancing towards the source, she waved, recognising her friend.

"Hi!" She embraced the petite blonde warmly. "It's so good to see you! Lisa, this is Danny, Grace and Charlie. Guys, this is my friend, Lisa."

"Welcome," Lisa said cordially, shaking Danny's hand while flashing a knowing look in Mindy's direction. "Why don't you all step this way? Everything's ready. You're going to have a wonderful time."

"Have I mentioned how much I dislike surprises?" Danny asked, as he fell into step beside her. The timber of his voice sent tingles down her spine.

"Well, there's a first time for everything," she replied with a cheeky grin.

Traversing the length of the hotel lobby, they existed through the large glass doors in the back. Outside were tall shaded palm trees around the perimeter of the resort, a large swimming pool surrounded by loungers off to one side. Grace and Charlie were looking around with interest, following eagerly behind Lisa. Rounding a corner, the courtyard opened to reveal an enclosed lagoon.

"Danno! Danno!" Grace gasped. "Look!"

Inside the lagoon was a lone dolphin frolicking in the water. Squealing excitedly, Charlie scampered after his sister towards the jetty. Waiting there was another woman, a friendly smile on her face.

"This is Lani. She'll be your instructor today," Lisa explained, when they drew even with the redhead.

"Instructor?" Danny asked. "Instructor for what?"

Mindy gestured towards the water. "For that."

"Why would we need an instructor to watch a dolphin swimming around?"

"Because we may want to do more than just watch?" she asked, tentatively.

He stopped walking. "Wait a minute. _This_ is what we're doing here?"

" _This_ is Dolphin Quest," she stated. "Lisa, who works here, owed me a favour so I asked if she could arrange a trainer to introduce us to one of the dolphins. I thought Grace and Charlie might like it."

Danny's eyes widened, glancing at the animal and then back at her. "It has teeth."

Mindy struggled to hold back a laugh. The look on his face was really quite comical. "The dolphin is trained. Perfectly harmless."

He folded his arms across his chest. "Do we actually have to get in the water?"

She sighed, wondering if she'd miscalculated the odds of this outing being a success. "Well, you don't have to if you'd rather not."

"Danno, please, please. _Please_ can we?" Grace begged.

"Ah, Gracie…" He prevaricated. "Is this even safe?"

Mindy laid a soothing hand across his forearm. "Of course it is. I wouldn't have arranged it if I thought otherwise."

He looked uncertain. "What about Charlie?"

"He can come in too," she said.

"I'm sure he'll be too afraid—"

"Let's go!" Charlie cried, watching the dolphin with stars in his eyes. "I wanna touch him!"

With a smile Mindy turned towards Danny. "Well?"

"Come on, Danno," Grace pleaded. "It'll be soooo much fun!"

He looked at Mindy and then at his children. Grace and Charlie were practically bouncing on the spot, so excited. He exhaled sharply. "Alright, fine." Charlie shrieked with delight. Mindy and Grace high fived. "But let's understand the safety instructions first, okay?" he yelled as the kids ran over to Lani.

"It's perfectly safe, I promise," Mindy said softly, squeezing his arm.

He was watching the children, his gaze inscrutable. "How did you know they'd love this?"

She shook her head. "I didn't. I took a gamble."

"Look at them," he said. They were hanging onto Lani's every word. "This will make their year. Me on the other hand? I'm likely to die from a heart attack." He sounded so dramatic that she burst out laughing.

"I protected you from an ocean of sharks once. What's one little dolphin compared to that?" she said, gently.

A teasing smile tugged at his lips. "Point taken."

"Mindy?" Lisa interrupted. "If there's nothing else you need, I'll be off."

"Thank you, Lisa, no. I think we'll manage." They promised to meet up for coffee sometime before Lisa returned to her other duties.

Grabbing Danny's hand, Mindy dragged him towards the jetty, loving the feel of his rough palm against hers. "Come on. We've got to get into our bathing costumes."

A few minutes later with everyone suitably attired, they listened to Lani as she explained what they'd be doing and how the dolphin was likely to respond. As a start, she got the dolphin to launch himself onto the raised blue platform at the entrance to the pool. Once there, Grace, Charlie and Mindy eagerly pet him while Danny volunteered to take photos. Recognising his delaying tactics, Mindy made him hand his phone over to Lani so that he could join them. The kids laughed as they watched their father tentatively stroke the mammal.

Satisfied that everyone was comfortable, Lani instructed them all to don their life vests, explaining that they would be getting into the water next. Because Charlie was closest to her, Mindy helped him into his. Having lost some of his inhibitions around her, he talked non-stop.

"Danny and Mindy, why don't you get in first?" Lani advised. "Then you can help the children."

Mindy gave Danny an encouraging smile. "Ready?"

He pulled a face. "I guess we'll see in a minute."

They climbed in and immediately the dolphin startled circling around them, drawing ever closer to Danny. "Oh! Hey, hey there," Danny whispered as the dolphin nudged him playfully in the side.

"I think he likes you," Mindy teased. Charlie and Grace giggled.

"He does!" Lani agreed. "He wants to be friends."

"Hey, buddy," Danny said, cracking a smile. Mindy could visibly see him relaxing.

"Now, Grace and Charlie, come on closer," Lani called. The kids made their way to the edge of the jetty. "Danny, if you'd hold Charlie? It's too deep for him to stand. Mindy, give Grace a hand, will you?"

Together they helped the children into the water. There was a flurry of splashes and startled yelps as they adjusted to having the dolphin swimming around them. Through a series of whistled commands and hand signals, Lani got the animal to perform an array of tricks – he splashed them with water, did complicated turns and jumps and huddled at their sides so they could stroke him. The children thoroughly enjoyed it, as did Mindy. Even Danny, after his hesitant start, really seemed to be having a good time.

"Huddle together, guys!" Lani called out, holding Danny's phone aloft to take another photo. Mindy felt Danny's arm encircling her shoulder while his other held Charlie securely. Grace was tucked in front of them, a massive smile on her face as she shouted, "cheese!"

* * *

"Thank you for your time," Danny said to Lani as he deposited Charlie on the jetty. Mindy and Grace had already climbed out. "We really appreciate it."

"You're very welcome. You have a beautiful family," she replied, glancing towards Mindy and the kids.

She thought Mindy was his wife? "Oh, no, uh—" His words died in his throat as he watched Mindy interacting with Grace and Charlie. His daughter was laughing at something she'd said while his son was listening attentively as she spoke. They seemed so at ease with her and she with them that he could see why any passer-by might mistake them for a family.

Much like the night before, today had been an unexpected surprise. When he'd asked Mindy to choose someplace for them to have lunch, he hadn't known what to expect. When he'd received her text asking him to bring their swimwear along, he'd figured they'd go to beach. So when she'd asked him to drive to one of the most renowned spa's on the island, he'd been a little taken aback. It wasn't the kind of place he'd ordinarily take the kids. First off, he probably couldn't afford it and secondly, he preferred more casual surroundings. But clearly she'd been thinking about his children when she'd made the arrangements. He didn't need to ask Grace and Charlie whether they'd enjoyed their time with the dolphin. The smiles on their faces was proof enough. Mindy's thoughtfulness meant more to him than he could ever say. If the past couple of months had taught him anything about her, it was that she was the real deal – kind, down to earth, selfless – qualities he valued far more than a hot body. Though to be fair, she definitely scored in that department too.

He watched as she helped Charlie out of his life jacket before removing her own. Wearing nothing but her black bikini, he'd have to be blind not to admire her outer beauty. But the more time he spent with her, the more he realised that there was a lot more to her than the outer casing. It was also obvious that his kids weren't immune to her charms either.

"That was so awesome, Aunt Mindy," Grace said as he approached. "I saw some dolphins once when we went on a field trip to the aquarium. But we weren't allowed to touch them."

"They're sweet animals, aren't they?"

Grace nodded vigorously. "I can't wait to tell my friends. They're going to be _so_ jealous."

Mindy laughed and Danny felt a rush of pure pleasure at the sound. "Well, I'm really glad you enjoyed it."

Danny stopped beside them. "I agree with my daughter. This has, uh, definitely been an experience worth remembering."

Mindy beamed. "Are you admitting that you were wrong to be so hesitant?"

His lips curled into a smile. "I admit that I would never have done this on my own. But yeah, I had a lot of fun."

"Do you think we could come again?" Grace asked, hopefully.

Danny was pretty sure the experience they'd just had cost the average family a pretty penny. "Maybe. We'll see."

Satisfied, she grinned, wrapping a towel around her.

Charlie tugged on his shorts. "I'm hungry!"

His eyes met Mindy's. He could see laughter in those dark depths. Feeling happier and more relaxed than he had in months, he affectionately ran a hand over his son's wet hair. "Then let's get you fed."

It was just after 2pm when they made a quick change back into their dry clothes before leaving the hotel in search of some pizza. They stopped at a popular franchise close to the beachfront and while Danny ordered, Mindy and the kids went to find a place to sit. They chose a shady spot on the grass close to a play park.

"Did you see my dad's face when he realised what we were doing there?" Grace asked Mindy, swallowing a bite of pizza.

Danny shook his head, chewing. "You are not allowed to poke fun at your father, alright?"

"I saw, Grace. He was terrified," Mindy whispered conspiratorially, her head bent close to Grace's.

"I was not," he denied.

"You were," Charlie piped up with a toothy grin and everyone laughed.

"Alright smarty pants," Danny teased his son. "Clearly you are not interested in taking my side in this. But if," he said, raising a finger, "and this is a big if, I was afraid, I had every right to be. Did you see the teeth on that thing?"

"You're exaggerating. He was like a puppy, Danny," Mindy joked.

"Seriously? He was _not_ like a puppy. Puppies are small and furry and cute. That dolphin was huge, like he could have—" The way Mindy and Grace were sniggering made it obvious that they'd bated him deliberately. "You're a bad influence on my children," he said to Mindy, grinning despite his words.

"Sorry, I couldn't help it," she apologised, still laughing. She was sitting cross legged on the grass, the skirt of her white summer dress bunched in her lap. Her hair was piled haphazardly on her head, a few damp strands clinging to the back of her neck.

"Can I play on the swings?" Charlie asked. There were other children milling about with their parents.

Looking down at the pizza slice in his hand, Danny glanced at his son. "Sure, buddy. Could you give me a minute though?"

Mindy wiped her hands on a napkin. "Finish your pizza. I'll take him."

"Are you sure?"

She nodded. "Of course. Come on, Charlie. Race you to the swing!"

Delighted at the challenge, Charlie sprinted off, giggling loudly when Mindy caught up with him. Danny didn't know he had a goofy smile on his face until he caught Grace staring at him.

"You like her, don't you, Danno?"

Treading carefully, he scooted closer to his daughter. "What makes you say that?"

She gave a long suffering sigh, as though she possessed a world of knowledge on the subject. "It's kinda obvious?"

"Well, I mean I guess it must be if my teenage daughter says so."

She rolled her eyes. "I'm being serious."

Danny couldn't believe he was having this conversation with his kid. He remembered a time not so long ago when Grace wore pig tails and loved Hello Kitty. Now she was sitting beside him with such an adult look on her face he didn't know whether to laugh or cry. "Okay. Let's say I do like her. How would you feel about it?"

She shrugged. "I'd be okay. She's nice and you should be happy."

His chest flooded with tenderness. "I'm not unhappy."

"I know. But still. You've been sad since you found out about Charlie. And I know you're mad at mom."

"Hey," he said, glancing down into her beautiful brown eyes. "What's happening between your mom and I has nothing to do with you, okay? It's not your fault or Charlie's."

Her fingers toyed with a blade of grass. "I know what she did was wrong."

Danny looked out across the park. For months he'd been trying to protect his daughter, to pretend that everything was okay. He should have known she was smart enough to piece it all together.

"Grace, look…sometimes adults make mistakes," he said, picking his words carefully. "And sometimes the decisions they make affects other people. They think they're doing the right thing, but then they realise too late, that maybe they didn't. Do you know what I'm saying?"

She nodded slowly. "I think so."

He placed an arm around her shoulders. "Your mom made a mistake when she didn't tell me about your brother and I know she feels bad about it. She loves you and she loves Charlie. She was only trying to protect him." He couldn't believe he was saying these things, especially since he was still so angry. But this moment wasn't about _his_ feelings towards Rachel, it was about preserving the relationship between Grace and her mother. "I don't want you to worry about it, alright? We'll figure it out."

"I'm sorry, Danno," she said, softly, breaking his heart.

He hugged her close. "It's okay, sweetheart."

"You know you're the best dad, right? Maybe a little paranoid, but still the best?"

A lump formed in the back of his throat. "Thanks, kid. That means a lot. And just to clarify, I'm not paranoid. I'm cautious, alright?"

"Alright," she agreed, leaning against him.

They sat like that, watching Mindy as she pushed Charlie on a swing. The two of them were laughing.

"You should ask Aunt Mindy out again."

Danny smiled. "You think so, huh?"

"Yes. She likes you a lot."

Danny raised a brow. "Oh yeah? And you know this because…?"

"I'm a girl," she replied confidently as though that explained everything.

"C'mere," he said, amused. He gave her a hug. "I love you, you know that?"

She hugged him back. "I know, Danno. I love you too."

"Come on." He jumped to his feet, extending a hand to help her up. "You're not too old to for a swing, are you?"

Grace smiled, reaching for his hand and his heart overflowed with love. "Nope."

Hand in hand, they went to join Mindy and Charlie.

* * *

By the time they got back to her place, both Grace and Charlie were asleep. Charlie had wanted to go on all the park rides and Danny, Mindy and Grace had indulged him, having a lot of fun in the process. Exhausted but merry, they'd grabbed some ice-cream cones before piling into the car and calling it a day.

Parking next to his Camaro, Danny transferred his and the kids' bags to his car while Mindy unlocked the door to her ground floor apartment.

"Thanks. For today. For thinking about Grace and Charlie," Danny said, dropping her tote inside the doorway. From their vantage point, they could still see the kids in the car.

"It was nothing," she said, waving a hand. Their date was about to end and truth be told, Mindy wasn't ready to see him leave.

"That's not true," he countered, grabbing her hand. "You were thoughtful and considerate and I, uh, I want you to know that it means a lot to me."

Her heart pounded when his fingers curled around hers. "It was supposed to be our first date but I wanted them to have a good time, too."

"Trust me, they did. I don't think I'm going to hear the end of this for a long time."

She laughed softly. "Then my work is done."

He stepped closer. "And as far as first dates go, this was definitely the best one I've ever had."

Her heart fluttered. "Really?"

Closing the distance between them, he placed his hands on her hips, tugging her snugly against him. The contact was intense, thrilling, arousing. Instinctively her hands moved up to wind around his neck, her eyes locking with his.

"Really." Lowering his mouth to hers he kissed her deeply, thoroughly, as though he would never get enough of her. She responded, opening her mouth to his expert invasion, welcoming the heat of his tongue as it slid deliciously against hers. She could feel his stubble chafing against her sensitive skin, but she didn't care. Her hands slid upward to tangle in the hair at the base of his skull and she heard Danny's low moan of approval. Mindy wanted more, wanted to be closer to him but knew it was impossible. When his lips finally lifted from hers, they were both breathing harshly.

"The next time I take you out I'm leaving my kids at home," he whispered huskily and she trembled at the unspoken promise.

Breathless, she brushed a hand lightly against his jaw, loving the feel of his stubble against her fingertips. "So there's going to be a next time?"

"Well, unless you have any objections?"

She shook her head. "None."

As if he couldn't resist, his head dipped and he kissed her again. His lips were soft, warm, coaxing. His hands stroked over her hair before cupping the back of her neck, until she sighed with pleasure. If the first kiss had been an explosion of passion, this felt like a tender seduction. The effect, however, was no less devastating.

Reluctantly, he drew back. "I'd love nothing more than to prolong this, but I should get Grace and Charlie home."

"Yes," she agreed, weak in the knees when she finally stepped out of his arms.

Gently waking the children, he carried Charlie to his car while a groggy Grace followed slowly behind.

"Thanks, Aunt Mindy. Today was the best," Grace said, stopping to give Mindy a quick hug as she passed by. Surprised, but pleased, Mindy hugged her back, her eyes meeting Danny's over the top of his daughter's head. The heat in those piercing blue depths was enough to rival the sun.

"You're very welcome, sweetie."

"Call you later?" Danny asked, his gaze raking over her from top to toe. She flushed, imagining what she must look like after being ravished on her doorstep.

She nodded. "Drive safe."

Wrapping one arm around her midriff, she raised the other to wave as he drove by, watching until his taillights disappeared around the bend. Closing her eyes, Mindy took a deep breath, trying to decipher the myriad of emotions coursing through her veins. She easily identified hope, happiness and gratitude. Hope because the future suddenly seemed so much brighter. Happiness because that's what Danny made her feel. And lastly, she felt gratitude for the choices that had led her back home to a job she loved and into the path of a man who was turning out to be the most unexpected, but definitely not unwelcome, surprise.

 _Oh dear._ This wasn't just a crush anymore, Mindy thought as walked towards her front door, her heart beating a little faster. This felt suspiciously like falling in love.


	5. Chapter 5

Danny and Steve were leaving a home in the suburbs where they'd just arrested a guy they'd been tracking for weeks. Considering the crook in question was a trained sharp shooter, things had, for once, gone according to plan.

"Are you ever going to tell me how things are going with you and Mindy?"

Climbing into his car, Danny reached for his mobile, glancing at the time on the luminescent screen. "Wow. You've been back for two hours already and you've only just asked that question. This must be a new record." Steve had taken a few personal days to visit his sister and her baby back on the mainland.

"What do you mean?" Steve asked, starting the engine.

Danny peered at his friend. "I mean that you're nosy and you always want to know everyone else's personal business. But hey, I'm proud of you for holding out this long."

"Me? Nosy? That's ridiculous," Steve denied.

"That, right there, my friend," Danny said, pointing a finger at his partner, "is your entire problem."

Steve raised a brow. "I don't have any problems."

Danny snorted. "You wanna know what your biggest problem is?"

"Not really."

Danny continued regardless. "The fact that you're incapable of admitting that you have any."

"What are you even talking about?"

"What am I talking about?" Danny repeated, his voice rising slightly. "Have you not been paying attention? Of course you haven't," he answered before Steve could get a word in. "Because you never listen. Okay let me spell it out for you: you're always involving yourself in matters that don't concern you."

"Oh please," Steve argued, mildly outraged. "That is not true. I am not nosy. I am a concerned friend."

Danny's jaw dropped. "Oh, well then I guess you calling me repeatedly over the last couple of days for no apparent reason was all concern?"

"Yes!"

"No, it was not," he opposed. "That was you being nosy."

"Come on. I genuinely wanted to talk to you," Steve defended, weaving through the mid-morning traffic.

"Right. Let's see," Danny said. "The first time was because you thought you'd forgotten to lock up your house," he stated, holding up a hand to prevent Steve from responding. "Considering that personal safety ranks pretty high on your list of priorities and I don't really believe you'd forget something so important, I find that excuse a tad suspicious. But I'm willing to let that one slide."

"How generous of you," Steve retorted.

Danny ignored him. "However the second, third and fourth times were just absurd."

Steve looked affronted. "Absurd? You don't like it when a friend enquires after your well-being?"

Danny wasn't fooled. "Three times in rapid succession? If you weren't my friend I'd call you a stalker."

"A stalker?" Steve sputtered, glaring at Danny. "You know what? You have issues."

" _I_ have issues?" Danny huffed, incredulous. "This coming from a man who's a bonafide control freak? Yeah. I'm definitely the one with all the problems."

"I'm glad you're finally admitting it," Steve replied, with a satisfied smile.

"That was not a confession, you idiot. What the hell is the matter with you, huh?"

Steve rolled his eyes. "Will you quit stalling and just tell me about Mindy already?"

Danny's irritation fled as his mind replayed the past week, savouring all the details. They'd been out a couple more times and things were really great between them. Unwittingly a smile spread across his face.

"Oh, it's _that_ good, is it?" Steve asked, grinning broadly.

Danny smiled back, their argument forgotten. "Yes, my friend, it is that good."

"And Grace and Charlie?"

"They like her a lot."

"See there. What did I tell you?" Steve sounded mighty pleased with himself. "I knew you two would hit it off."

Danny nodded, willing to let his friend relish the victory. "Okay, I admit that you were right. Mindy is…pretty terrific."

"Wait a minute," Steve said, his discerning eyes scanning Danny's features. "You more than just like her, don't you?"

Danny didn't reply immediately. Perhaps he'd 'liked' her before, when she'd merely been Max's attractive colleague. But now, having spent considerable time with her, the word 'like' seemed somewhat inadequate to express the way he felt when he was around her. It was thrilling. It was exhilarating. It was also mildly terrifying. The last time he'd felt like this about a woman he'd married her only to find himself divorced a few short few years later, thousands of miles from home and generally a little messed up.

"Yeah, I do," he admitted, softly.

"Then why the look of doom and gloom?" Steve asked. "Not that you don't generally see the worst in every scenario, but surely this is a good thing?"

Danny let the dig slide, mainly because it wasn't entirely inaccurate. "Because the last time I felt this way, it ended badly, okay?" He sank down even lower into the seat. "And this time there's not just Grace to consider. There's Charlie too."

"Danny, look, you can't just assume your relationship with Mindy will end the same way your marriage to Rachel did," Steve reasoned.

"I know that, rationally. I mean, they're two completely different women," Danny said, his hands gesturing in an effort to express himself. "But that doesn't mean that I don't have the same fears."

Steve nodded. "I get it. But you're forgetting something else." He glanced at Danny briefly. "You're not the same man you were back then. You made some mistakes the first time round. You've learnt from them, right? One failed marriage doesn't mean you're incapable of making a relationship work with someone else."

"You think so?" he surprised himself by asking.

He wasn't the type of person who sought validation from anyone. He always acted in accordance with what felt right to him. Being with Mindy felt right. But the failure of his marriage was still a sore point, even after so many years. It wasn't that he had any lingering feelings for Rachel. It was the idea that despite how much he had once loved her, how committed he'd been to their family, he'd still been unable to make it work.

"I know it and so do you," Steve claimed emphatically. "Look, aren't you the one always saying that people should quit over-analysing everything?"

"Oh, so you do actually listen when I speak."

Steve's lips twitched. "Just answer the question."

"Yes. Yes, I am," he conceded.

"Good. Then accept this for what it is and stop worrying about everything that can go wrong, alright?"

Steve had a point. "I guess. Thanks, buddy."

"You're welcome. You know you can always rely on me for some sage advice," Steve smirked.

Danny sighed. "You had to ruin the moment, didn't you? _Sage_? Really? I'm shocked you even know the meaning of the word."

Steve laughed. "Lighten up, Danno. I'm kidding with you." At Danny's side-eye, he amended, "Fine, maybe I'm not."

"You're a moron," Danny muttered.

"You know what this means, right?"

"I thought moron was kind of self-explanatory."

"No!" Steve exclaimed. "You and Mindy. I'm assuming that you're an official couple, so…" he trailed off, chuckling. "You have a girlfriend."

If Danny considered that he and Mindy had been pretty much inseparable since that night at Steve's place, then regardless of how juvenile the label sounded, it was definitely accurate.

"Yeah, I suppose I do," he replied, looking out of the window so Steve wouldn't see him grinning like a fool.

* * *

 

"Thank you, Mindy. We really appreciate your help on this," Chin said, walking her to the door of the conference room.

Detective Kelly and Inspector Dunn had asked her to offer a consult on some photographs from an old crime scene. They suspected that a killer from an unsolved case a few years back might be at it again.

"Glad I could help. If you need anything else, please don't hesitate to ask."

"We will," Abby said, grimly. "Leads have been really hard to come by on this one."

"Whatever you need," she reiterated, glancing around.

When she'd arrived at Five-0's headquarters an hour earlier she hadn't seen Danny's car parked outside. Since Commander McGarrett rarely drove his own vehicle during working hours, that meant that the duo were probably out on a case.

Chin's cell phone rang. "I need to take this. Excuse me."

"I think I saw Danny arriving a few minutes ago," Abby revealed, her green eyes flashing knowingly.

Mindy flushed. Was she that obvious? "I'm sure he's busy. I probably shouldn't disturb him."

"Nonsense," Abby insisted, grasping her elbow lightly and steering down the same passage Chin had traversed moments before. "I'm sure he'd be delighted to see you."

She and Danny had been out a few times more since their date with his kids. If anything, the more time they spent together, the stronger her feelings for him grew. She was falling in love with him. She could no more prevent doing so than she could stop herself from breathing. He was wonderful – smart, funny, interesting, caring…hot. She felt her face flush when she recalled the way their last date had ended – with her sprawled beneath him on her couch, their hands and mouths everywhere. They hadn't consummated their relationship yet, but she was sure they would have had it not been for Steve's untimely call.

"Are you enjoying your time in Hawaii?" she asked, trying to focus her thoughts elsewhere.

"Very much," Abby replied, directly. "It's different from what I'm used to, but I'm liking the change."

There was something in the other woman's voice that hinted at more than just work holding her interest. Danny had mentioned that the team suspected Abby and Chin were an item.

"Many people come to the island for work, thinking it's temporary and then end up never leaving."

"Believe me, I can see why."

They took a turn that led into an open area housing an impressive display of electronics. To the one side was a large window with a cluster of glass enclosed offices to each side. Mindy could see Steve in one of them, leaning against his desk as he chatted to Jerry. When the Commander saw her, he smiled and waved; Jerry turned away. Mindy frowned at the slight.

"Danny's over there." Abby pointed to a nearby office. "Nice seeing you again."

Mindy smiled her thanks, for the moment forgetting Jerry's odd behaviour. The glass door to the office was closed but the blinds were open so she could see Danny sitting behind his desk. He had his laptop open, but he wasn't working. Instead, he was staring at two square cards. Mindy smiled as she watched him, pure joy at just being close to him flooding through her. He looked so handsome in a white shirt with blue pinstripes. Knowing that she didn't have the luxury of gazing at him all day, she knocked on the door before pushing it open, wishing desperately that she was wearing something other than her ME's uniform.

At the sound of her entry, he lifted his head. Though his eyes gleamed with pleasure, deepening the blue to a glittering sapphire, it was his smile that affected her most. Full and wide, it spread across his face, his delight at seeing her unmistakable. She melted. Clearly _he_ didn't mind her uniform.

Danny was on his feet in seconds.

"Is this a bad time? I was helping Chin with one of his cases, so I thought I'd pop in. But if you have things to do I can come back another time."

Danny was already rounding his desk. "No, no. Come in, please."

Drawn to his open, smiling face and the aura of vitality that surrounded him, she stepped forward. Reaching for her hands, he drew her closer. When his chest bumped up against hers, breathing became impossible. The air between them sizzled with attraction, the room charged with the same chemistry that had surrounded them from the moment they'd met. As though it was the most natural thing in the world, his mouth descended towards hers, his kiss soft and feather light.

"Hi," he whispered at last, his eyes burning like hot coals.

She wasn't sure why, but the moment felt more intimate than any they'd shared before. "Hey."

"You okay?" he asked, softly.

She nodded. His face was still so close she'd only have to move an inch and their lips would touch again.

"Get a room!" Steve called from outside.

Mindy gasped and jumped back, her face flaming. She'd completely forgotten that they were in plain sight of the entire Five-0 team. Danny merely rolled his eyes, a playful smile flirting around the edges of his mouth.

"One second," he said, stepping around her to close the door. For good measure, he twisted the chords at the ends of the blinds to close them as well. The chorus of "ahh, come on's" that followed his action had her laughing, her embarrassment receding.

"That's better. I apologise. I work with a bunch of animals."

"No need. I quite like them."

"Then you can have them," he teased, showing her to the black leather sofa opposite his desk.

"I meant what I said. If you're busy, I—"

"Mindy," Danny interrupted smoothly, "I am not too busy for you." His phone beeped and he grimaced, reaching into his pocket. "Sorry. As I say that—"

"What's wrong?" she asked, concerned at his frown.

"It's Rachel. She wants to take the kids to visit her aunt on the mainland this weekend. _My_ weekend," he said, frustration creeping into his voice.

She knew he had joint custody of Grace, but Charlie was a different matter. She placed a hand on his shoulder. "What are you gonna do?"

"I don't know," he replied, rubbing a hand across his face. "No matter what I do, I come out the loser."

Sympathy and understanding flooded through her. "If you say no it makes you look like the monster that's ruining everyone's fun and if you say yes, you miss out on spending time with your kids."

"Exactly," came his pained response. "I mean, I've already missed out on so much with Charlie."

"Maybe you should talk to Rachel about it?" she suggested gently.

His jaw tightened. "She's stubborn. Whenever I try to have any conversation with her about the kids we end up arguing. The irony is, before I found out about Charlie, things were improving. We were actually getting along, you know? Now…" His words trailed off before picking up again, his hands gesturing as he spoke. "And Grace apparently knows that I'm majorly pissed off at her mom even though I had to downplay it for her sake. Despite how I feel about Rachel, I don't want to alienate our daughter from her. Perhaps if I was the horrible person she must have thought I was to have kept my son from me for four years—"

"Danny—"

"—I'd try to make her feel a little of what I do whenever I look at Charlie."

Her heart broke for him. "You need to stop beating yourself up about this." She tried to catch his eye, but he was looking at the floor. "You are a wonderful father and whatever Rachel's reasons were for keeping Charlie from you, the truth is, they no longer matter."

"Not according to my ex-wife." He exhaled harshly. "Rachel thinks I live a dangerous life, one that's not suited to fatherhood. She couldn't keep Grace from me because I fought to be in her life. But Charlie..." His voice faltered and Mindy felt tears prick at the back of her lids. "She knew he was mine but she kept it from me because she wanted to protect him – _from me_ , his own father."

So that was the crux of it. She was certain Danny didn't actually believe he was an unsuitable father, but sometimes when you hear the same thing over and over, there comes a time when you start to doubt yourself. She wouldn't let him.

Shifting, she leaned forward, cupping his cheeks in her palms so he was forced to meet her eyes. " _This is not your fault,_ " she stressed, desperate to make him believe it. "Who you are and what you can offer Charlie as a father is not any less important than what Stan can. Rachel was wrong about that."

He shook his head. "How do you know? How—?"

"Because I know you and I know how much your family means to you. And also, I've met Grace, I've spent time with her. She _adores_ you, Danny. So does Charlie."

"What if he never…" he paused, a sheen of moisture glistening in his eyes. "What if Charlie never sees me as his Dad, huh? What if I'll always just be Uncle Danno?"

His vulnerability was disarming, his pain as palpable as if it were her own. She didn't know Rachel, had no right to judge her. But in that moment Mindy desperately wanted to. "I don't know what the future holds, so I cannot answer that question. But I do know that your son is one of the luckiest little boy's alive. Regardless of what you turn out to mean to him, Danny, he's always going to know that you're there for him, that you love him, unconditionally. In the end, isn't that really what matters most?"

He took a deep breath, then he nodded. "I guess you're right."

"I'm sorry this is so hard for you," she said softly, her fingers grazing against the underside of his jaw. "If there's anything I can do to help, just say it."

"It helps having you here." He turned his head, placing a kiss in the centre of her palm. "I keep dragging you into my drama. I come with baggage and I'm sorry for it."

"Don't you ever apologise to me for caring about your children," she chastised lightly. "I'm here because I want to be, Danny - baggage and all."

His large hands cradled her face, his eyes conveying his gratitude in ways that didn't require any words. Her heart turning over, she leaned in to kiss him. It was meant as a gesture of comfort, of support, of love.

"Thank you," he said, sounding a little choked up. He rested his forehead against hers, still for several moments. "You know, I was—uh— thinking about you before you arrived."

She drew back, surprised, but pleased. "Oh?"

He stood, retrieving the two square cards she'd seem him looking at earlier. "Uh—there's this thing," he started, fidgeting with the edges of the cards. "Every year the Governor throws a black tie shindig for the cops on the island." His eyes met hers. "It's tomorrow night and I have a plus one…so…I was wondering if you'd like to come with me?" He sat down again.

She bit her lip to keep from grinning. "Ahhh…another date."

"Well, it makes sense since we _are_ actually dating, right?"

Her belly flip flopped. "Right."

Danny smiled. "So…that's a yes?"

"Absolutely," she said, a bolt of excitement racing through her.

His eyes flashed with satisfaction. "Okay then."

"Everyone going?"

"Yeah, pretty much. Even Jerry. Though he's not an actual cop."

"Speaking of Jerry," Mindy said, remembering his slight. "Do you know of any reason he'd be upset with me?"

"Why do you ask?"

She shook her head. "It's probably nothing, but today was the second time he's been a little weird. At Steve's place he was unusually aloof and then just now he pretended not to see me."

"Actually, I think I may know what's going on," Danny confessed with a sigh. "Jerry, uh, he has a crush on you."

Mindy's eyes widened. "How do you know that?"

"Remember that time we had a barbecue at Lou's place?" She nodded. "Jerry kinda told us. I admit that I didn't take it seriously until Steve told everyone about you and me…and, well…Jerry wasn't happy."

"I had no idea." That certainly explained why he was avoiding her. His feelings were hurt. "I never led him on…or at least I don't think I did." She frowned. "I'm pretty sure I haven't done anything wrong and yet I feel so guilty."

He reached for her hand. "That's because you're a nice person and Jerry's like a giant teddy bear."

"Maybe I should talk to him?" she asked, toying with his fingers. She loved how normal it felt when they touched.

"No, I should. I think I violated the bro code," he said with a wry smile.

"Bro code?"

"Yeah, you know. He had his eye on you and I stepped in. That's a violation."

Mindy laughed. "Does it matter that I wanted you to step in?"

His fingers tightened around hers. "I don't think that argument's going to help me get back on Jerry's good side."

"Are you sure I shouldn't talk to him?"

He shook his head. "No. He's upset with me, not you."

There was a knock at the door. Steve poked his head inside. "Sorry to disturb, kids," he said with a smile that said he was anything but apologetic, "but we have a case, Danny."

Mindy stood. "I should be getting back, anyway." She grabbed her purse and slung it over her shoulder, her ID tag for the morgue swaying against her chest.

"You need a ride?" Danny asked.

"I have my car here, but thanks." She leaned forward and gave him a peck on the cheek. "I'll call you later. Bye Steve."

"Take care," the Commander replied, with a grin. "You two are so cute," she heard him say to Danny as she walked away.

"Shut up," Danny retorted, the amusement in his tone negating his choice of words.

Still laughing, she waltzed into the sunshine and headed for her car.

* * *

 

Danny stopped outside Mindy's apartment the following evening feeling like an eager teen on prom night. He killed the engine and looked towards her front door. He felt nerves, but only the good kind. The kind that caused a jolt through your consciousness at random times throughout the day, reminding you that there was something important happening, something you were looking forward to. He'd spent enough time in Mindy's company to know that he was _very_ attracted to her. Hell, her couch could attest to just how much. Just the thought of holding her and kissing her again was enough to make his body temperature escalate by several degrees. If it hadn't been for his knucklehead of a partner and his ill-timed calls, they would definitely have made love already. Perhaps for that reason, tonight felt extra special.

Existing the car, he headed towards her front door, smoothing a hand over his hair before pressing the buzzer. When the door swung open Danny's jaw hit the floor.

She was breathtakingly beautiful.

His eyes took their time travelling all the way from the top of her head to the tips of her paint-free toes. Her shiny chestnut tresses were piled high into a sleek up-do with a few wispy tendrils snaking down along her slender column of her neck. Her dress, a strapless red creation, moulded to her breasts and hugged her bodice in a way that made knees weak. Gently flaring over her hips, the skirt fell all the way to the floor, hovering mere inches above the ground. Paired with diamond studs at her ears, she was the pinnacle of elegance and beauty.

"Wow," he breathed, in awe. "You—uh— _wow_."

She flushed with pleasure. "I could say the same about you."

Danny was sure he paled in comparison. "I don't know about that."

Their eyes met. "I do."

Danny could swear he felt a little lightheaded. _Jesus._ How was he going to keep his hands off her? Best they leave before he did something impulsive – like walk her back into her apartment and shut the door behind them.

Snapping out of his stupor, he asked, "Are you ready?"

His question galvanised her into motion. "Yes." She grabbed her purse and followed him out.

The drive to the fancy hotel hosting the event wasn't far and before he knew it he was escorting Mindy into the plush foyer. It was here that they ran into Chin and Abby, both decked out in their finest.

"Hey Danny. Mindy," Chin greeted fondly.

"You look lovely, Abby," Danny complimented the attractive Inspector in her slinky black gown before he glanced at Chin. "Oh, and you look nice too."

The Hawaiian native's slanting eyes narrowed to slits as he smiled broadly. "Thank you, but as I'm sure you'll agree, we don't hold a candle to the lovely ladies," he injected smoothly, encompassing Abby and Mindy in his praise.

"I couldn't agree more," Danny approved, his eyes flitting to the woman at his side.

"All this flattery," Abby smiled. "Makes me wonder what I look like ordinarily."

"Somehow I don't think you need to worry about that," Mindy teased the other woman.

Danny didn't miss the faint blush that crept up Abby's neck or the look she shot Chin. Hmm, so the rumours were true…

He extended an elbow towards his date. "Shall we all go inside?"

They followed Chin and Abby into the ballroom. Stopping on the threshold they looked around. Mindy squeezed his arm. "I see what you meant when you said it was fancy."

Overhead were strings of fairy lights twisted around yards of white fabric elegantly draped from the ceiling. In the center of the room was the dance floor, a large wooden square raised slightly above ground level. Surrounding it were round tables decked out in silver and white, the floral centerpieces tinging the air with a pleasant perfume.

"Well, the Governor does know how to throw a party," he smiled, spotting Lou, his wife Renee, Steve and Kono at a nearby table. "Over there," he said to Chin.

"Mindy," Steve greeted fondly as they drew even. "You look beautiful."

She inclined her head in thanks before gesturing to the men in their tuxes. "I see all of you clean up rather well."

"Including Danny here?" his best friend asked, slapping him on the back.

"Especially Danny," she replied warmly, tightening her hold on his arm.

Feeling extraordinarily pleased, he grinned at his partner. "Here that, Steven?"

"Are you sure your eyesight doesn't need attention, Doc?" Lou piped up.

Renee jabbed him in the ribs. "Lou! What a horrible thing to say!"

"What?" Lou asked, innocently. "It was a legitimate question, honey."

Mindy laughed. "My vision is perfect, Captain Grover. 20/20 at my last test."

"Lay off him, guys. He looks good," Kono laughed, adjusting the skirt of her yellow halter-neck gown.

Danny smirked, guiding Mindy to their seats. Promptly a waiter materialised and took their drinks orders. Danny sat beside Steve with Mindy to his right. Abby was beside her with Chin, Kono, Lou and Renee rounding out their party. There were still two vacant seats, one of which he knew belonged to Jerry. Thinking about their resident conspiracy theorist, Danny made a mental note to find the time to talk to him so they could clear the air. As he pondered potential strategies, the object of his musings arrived. Jerry approached cautiously, his eyes scanning the faces around the table. When he saw Mindy beside Danny, he hesitated.

"Jer!" Steve called. "Come on over!"

"Hi guys," Jerry said, sitting down beside Steve and avoiding all eye contact with Danny or Mindy.

"You need to talk to him," Mindy whispered, touching his arm.

Danny turned his attention to the latest arrival. "Glad you could make it, Jerry."

"Thanks," he mumbled, staring into his lap.

Danny sighed. "Does he look like he wants to talk to me?"

"I feel really bad, Danny. Did I inadvertently give him the wrong impression?" she asked, her face lined with concern.

"Stop, okay?" Danny said, meeting her eyes. "This is not your fault."

She still looked uneasy. "You'll talk to him? Soon?"

"As soon as I get a chance," he promised.

Her expression softened. "Have I told you how great you look in this suit?" Her hands reached forward to straighten his bow tie.

"You mean more than my everyday attire?" he joked, enjoying the casual intimacy between them.

She tilted her head, examining at him through lowered lashes. "Usually you're brashy-handsome. But tonight you're brashy-handsome with a dash of sexy."

"Ah, just a dash, huh?" he laughed, delighted at her teasing.

She was laughing too, holding her thumb and forefinger inches apart. "Yeah. A teeny tiny dash."

The waiter arrived with their drinks, halting their conversation momentarily.

"Ladies! Gentlemen!"

They glanced up to see Max. "Hey! I thought you were only back next week."

"Detective Williams," he said, pausing beside Danny's chair. "I could not miss this opportunity to honour the brave men and women who dedicate their lives to keeping this island safe." His gaze shifted to Mindy. "And I see my colleague, Dr Shaw, evidently feels the same."

"Hi Dr Bergman," Mindy waved. "It's good to have you back."

"It's good to be back. I hope you enjoyed the photo—"

"Actually, Max," Steve interjected. "Mindy is here _with_ Danny."

Danny glared at his friend, reaching for his beer. "Really, Steve? What is it with you and making these announcements?"

Max's gaze rotated from Steve back to the couple in question, "It would seem that the undercurrents of sexual tension I detected between yourself and my colleague were not just imagined, Detective Williams."

"Jesus, Max," Danny sputtered, choking on his beer. He tried to ignore the sniggers around the table. "Do you always have to say what you're thinking?"

Max smiled. "A habit I learnt from you, Detective." He glanced at Mindy. "Dr Shaw, you are a brave woman."

Her face was still beet red. "How so, Dr Bergman?"

"You have chosen to become embroiled in a relationship with a most complex suitor."

Danny blinked. "What exactly is that supposed to mean, huh?"

"Merely that you would be a challenge to any woman who chose to pursue you in the romantic sense," Max replied glibly.

More guffaws erupted.

"Couldn't have said it better myself, Max," Steve inserted, with a mischievous grin.

Danny pointed to the last empty chair. "Just sit down and stop talking, alright?"

Max gave him a mocking bow. "You look beautiful, Dr Shaw," he said before taking his seat beside Jerry. It wasn't long before the conversation moved on to other things.

"How do you work with that man?" Danny asked her. "He's crazy."

"He's a little socially awkward," she conceded, "but that doesn't make him less of a sweetheart."

She was right, of course. Max was like Jerry. Completely ridiculous most of the time, but two of the gentlest, kindest people he knew. "Fine. He's a crazy sweetheart."

"You're incorrigible," Mindy laughed, punching him lightly on his arm.

The sound of her laughter sent tingles of awareness down his spine. Directly above, the glow of the fairy lights glinted off her bare shoulders, highlighting the creamy softness of her skin. His gaze travelled upward along her willowy neck to her lips, lush and full and coated in the most enticing shade of red he'd ever seen. He swallowed, hard. What he wouldn't do to lean over and—

Gentle applause erupted, jerking him away from his crude fantasies and back into the present. Everyone's attention was focused on the stage. The Governor had arrived which signalled the start of the official part of the evening.

After the speeches were made and dinner was served, everyone seemed a lot more relaxed. It wasn't long before couples were abandoning their seats and heading towards the dance floor. Lou and Renee were the first from their table, followed by Chin and Abby.

"Come on, Boss!" Kono called, grabbing hold of Steve and dragging him behind her.

Mindy was watching the growing throng with an expression of longing, her foot tapping along to the sound of a ballad he'd heard before but didn't know the name of.

He cleared his throat. "Would you like to, uh, dance?"

Her nod was instantaneous. Ushering her onto the floor, he took her into his arms. He'd be lying if he didn't notice how easy it was, how right it felt to hold her hand in his, to circle an arm around her waist.

"You're a good dancer," Mindy said, swaying gently with him.

"Or maybe I have a good partner," he countered.

She laughed softly, her eyes shining. "Either way, this is nice."

"Are you having a good time?"

"I am," she replied. "I like your friends."

Danny glanced around, seeing the friends in question dancing around them. "Yeah, I kinda like 'em, too. But if you ever tell anyone I said that, I'm going to deny it."

"I hate to break it to you," she said conspiratorially, "but I think your secret's already out."

"So much for thinking I'm this great mystery that needs unravelling," he joked.

She shook her head. "You don't need to be mysterious. It's seriously overrated."

"You're saying I'm an open book?"

"I wouldn't say that, exactly. But I prefer your no-nonsense honesty to insincere flattery."

"Trust me, whoever flatters you is not being insincere."

Her smile widened. "Are you flirting with me?"

"I'm trying to," he admitted, sheepishly. "How am I doing?"

"Very well, actually," she said, sliding both arms around his neck.

His own arms settled comfortably at her waist. The soft, sultry scent of her perfume wafted towards him, making him want to trail his nose along every inch of her skin. Something was happening between them, something he had no desire to curb and probably couldn't, even if he tried. Danny understood enough about women to know that Mindy was as attracted to him as he was to her. He could see it in her eyes, hear it in her voice, taste it in her kiss.

His hands tightened at her waist, his eyes staring into hers as his head dipped—

Danny felt a tug on his elbow. Casting an irritated glance to his side, he saw Max. "Detective Williams. Would you mind if I cut in?"

"Uh—" Danny blinked. "Yes, actually."

"Danny!" Mindy exclaimed in amused exasperation.

He sighed, reluctantly relinquishing his hold on her. "Fine."

Mindy beamed at Max. "Dr Bergman, I've been waiting for this all evening."

"As have I, Dr Shaw. There is rarely any occasion for me to mentor you in anything other than the medical arts."

Danny raised a brow. "Max, are you saying that you're some kind of dance whizz?"

He nodded. "I do not wish to brag, Detective, but my skills have been admired by many."

"Yeah, I'm sure," he stated, drolly.

"I look forward to your instruction," Mindy interrupted, clearly entertained.

"Shall we?" Max asked, turning his back to Danny.

"Certainly," Mindy replied.

Danny left them to it and made his way back towards their table. Drawing nearer he saw Jerry sitting alone. "Hey."

Jerry nodded.

He sat down. "Do you think we could talk?"

Jerry kept staring straight ahead. "If you must."

"Look. I know you're upset with me about Mindy. I'm sorry. It was never my intention to hurt your feelings. Things between us… it just happened."

"Are you messing with her?" Jerry asked, looking at him through narrowed eyes.

Danny held up a hand. "Absolutely not. I would never hurt her, Jerry."

"So you're in love with her." It was a statement.

Danny's mouth opened and then shut. _Love?_ Was it love? "I care about her, deeply," he replied carefully, not sure he was ready to give his feelings a name.

Jerry's posture relaxed. "It's obvious she feels the same way."

"I meant what I said. I am sorry."

Jerry shrugged. "It's okay. She probably couldn't handle me anyway."

"Uh—wow. Yeah, who could?" Danny replied, trying to keep a straight face.

Jerry glanced at him, suspicion clear in his eyes. "Are you making fun of me?"

"No." His response was emphatic. "Definitely not." Jerry didn't look entirely convinced. "So, am I forgiven?"

"I guess," Jerry muttered, reluctantly. Then he shot Danny a pointed stare. "Although if you hurt her, I'll make sure you're cut into tiny pieces and your body shipped to different corners of the world."

"Whoa, whoa!" Danny responded, frowning. "Does violence need to come into it? God. You've been spending too much time around Steve."

"Don't say you weren't warned, Detective."

Danny pulled a face. "Trust me. I won't be forgetting that in a hurry."

Jerry nodded, extending a hand towards Danny. "Then we're cool."

Danny shook it. "Yeah."

Mindy re-joined them. "Jerry?"

"Hi Doc," he said, shyly.

"Would you like to dance?" she asked him.

Danny could see the blush staining Jerry's cheeks. "That's okay. You don't have to."

She reached for Jerry's hand. "I _want_ to. Come on," she insisted, drawing him to his feet.

Stepping past Danny she gave him a saucy wink. Amazed, he watched as she led Jerry onto the dance floor, the generally shy guy moving to the music with a surprising amount of rhythm. Staring at Mindy as she laughed along with Jerry, Danny felt the now familiar tightening in his chest. It was a reaction he'd grown accustomed to whenever he looked at her. She seemed so carefree, so alive, so vibrant. Everything about her tempted him: her intelligence, her humour, her kindness, her beauty. But it was more than merely those attributes that made her so irresistible. There was a connection between them, one he'd felt from the moment he'd met her. It was as though one end of an invisible chord was attached to his heart and the other to hers. And so wherever the one went, the other was bound to follow. The thought should have terrified him, but strangely it didn't. It was as though his head was finally catching up with his heart.

The song ended and Mindy made her way back to him. "I'd like to go home," she said softly, reaching his side.

Startled, he asked, "Is something wrong?"

She shook her head. "No, I just want you to take me home—"

"If something happened—"

"— _with you_."

His words came to an abrupt halt as his mind processed her meaning. Was she saying—? He looked at her closely, his heart suddenly pounding. When she smiled, his brain melted.

"Are you sure?" he croaked.

"Yes."

"You know you don't have to do this, right? I mean, I can wait—"

She placed a finger across his lips, her eyes looking deep into his. "Then we may have a problem, Detective Williams…because I can't."

Danny didn't need to hear it twice. Grabbing her hand, they stopped off at their table to bid a hasty farewell to Kono and Steve (who exchanged knowing looks) before dashing towards the exit. Glancing at her as they raced down the stairs, her beauty stole his breath away. For whatever reason, this woman wanted him – baggage and all – without reservation. The thought humbled him, filled him with joy and overwhelmed him with hope. Not for the first time he wondered whether he was being a coward for not acknowledging that perhaps he was already just a little bit in love with her.


	6. Chapter 6

Mindy woke feeling deliciously warm and utterly content. Cracking her eyes open slowly she blinked against the muted light filtering in through the blinds, a sign that it was probably sometime close to dawn. Her consciousness gradually become aware of the heavy arm curled around her waist and the solid body pressed against her back. _Danny._ Her lips curled into a drowsy smile as flashes of passionate kisses, warm, slick skin and heated embraces raced through her mind.

Danny had proven himself to be a generous, enthusiastic and thorough lover. From the moment they'd arrived at his home, he'd taken his time with her. Despite how much she knew they'd both been anticipating the moment when they finally made love, the actual experience had been no hurried coupling. Instead, he'd undressed her slowly, kissing and caressing every inch of her skin until she thought she'd go mad. Only then, with a care and consideration that left her breathless just thinking about it, did he join his body to hers. 

Closing her eyes again, she leaned back against him.

"Good morning," he whispered, his voice deep and gravelly. His lips nuzzled against the sensitive underside of her ear, sending shivers of delight down her spine.

She turned until she lay facing him, her arms reaching around his shoulders. His hair was all mussed, his eyes still cloudy with sleep and his cheeks covered in a day's worth of stubble; to her he'd never looked sexier.

"Detective Williams," she mused. "I don't think I've ever seen you quite this…dishevelled."

His lips bowed into a lopsided grin. "I admit it's not my usual style, but, uh, I could get used to it."

"Oh?" she asked, gasping when he leaned down to kiss the side of her neck.

"Hmmm," he mumbled against her skin. "You see, there's this woman—" His lips trailed a moist path towards her collar bone. "—who had her, uh, wicked way with me last night." One of his hands slipped up from her waist to cup her breast, his thumb brushing lazily across the surface of the nipple.

Her ability to think clearly was rapidly dissolving. "She did?"

"Uh huh," he replied, distractedly.

His lips were moving ever closer to her breast. "And what was it like?"

His head lifted. Her whimper of protest died in her throat when his eyes met hers. Those beautiful blue depths were filled with so much tenderness, her heart turned over. "Best night of my life," he murmured.

Incapable of stringing a coherent sentence together after that declaration, she slipped her hands into his hair, holding his head captive as she raised her lips to his. The kiss was deep and drugging, his tongue tangling with hers. She could feel the scruff of his beard chafing against her chin, but she didn't care. Emotion filled her to the brim so she poured those feelings into the kiss, letting him know much he meant to her without actually saying the words.

"You are so beautiful," he whispered. His voice was thick with desire, the evidence of which was already throbbing against her thigh. She merely moaned in response, his hot mouth leaving a string of kisses from her chin to her chest. She could feel his warm breath against her nipple, the flesh almost painfully erect as it rose towards his mouth in supplication. When his mouth finally closed around the areola she cried out, falling back against the pillows in helpless surrender. He followed her down, his body covering hers from shoulders to knees. Instinctively her thighs parted and he settled into the cradle of her hips. She welcomed his weight above her, loved the feel of his hair roughened chest against hers. His tongue, his _incredibly_ _expert_ tongue, she thought feverishly, swirled around and around her turgid nipple before he suckled gently, the pleasure making her dizzy.

His lips moved from one breast to the other, continuing its torturous attentions until she was writhing against him in frustration. Her hands ran down his back, revelling in the feel of smooth skin over hardened muscle. Her palms reached his buttocks and squeezed, a thrill of satisfaction coursing through her when he moaned loudly, his head lifting from her breasts to cover her mouth in a blistering kiss.

"Danny," Mindy gasped, desperate for more. " _Please_."

Without a word he rose onto his elbows and flexed his hips forward, the thick, hard length of him sliding deep. He tensed in her arms, his breathing rough and laboured, a sheen of perspiration coating his forehead.

"God," he groaned, burying his face in her neck.

She wrapped her arms around him, holding him tightly against her pounding heart as he began to move. She followed his lead without thought, her body rising instinctively to meet his powerful thrusts. The pleasure was blinding, the feeling indescribable. But even with her mind hazy with want, Mindy knew this was more than a mere quenching of lust. She loved him - wholly, completely and their lovemaking was an affirmation of that – a mind-blowing, heart-pumping, soul-meets-soul affirmation.

When he kissed her again she melted, her mind going blank. Every cell became attuned to the heavenly stoke of his tongue against hers and steady rhythm of his body moving inside her. Blood roared in her ears, the pinnacle of release so close she was straining towards it. When she finally climaxed, she trembled violently, unable to hold back her cries of fulfilment. By the time Danny followed shortly thereafter, Mindy was exhausted, but completely and utterly sated.

They stayed like that for a long while, neither of them saying anything as their bodies cooled and their breathing returned to normal.

"You alright?" Danny asked eventually, shifting his body weight off of her before dragging her against him.

She snuggled closer, her hair fanning across his chest. "More than alright."

"I'm seriously considering placing you under arrest," he teased, his hands idly trailing down her back.

"And what do you plan on doing with me?" she shivered in response.

"I have a few ideas."

She laughed, lifting her head to look at him. "You mean there's more?"

"Lots more," he replied, his eyes lazily tracing her features. Her belly fluttered at the promise in his voice.

"Danny, last night was…" She struggled to find the right word.

"Perfect?" he suggested, smoothing her hair back from her face.

"Yes," she agreed, leaning in to give him a soft kiss. It had been perfect.

He tucked her head under his chin and hugged her tight. She loved being this close to him, loved the security of his arms around her. Danny made her feel safe and loved and cherished. Listening to the steady thump-thump of his heartbeat beneath her ear, she sighed happily, a comfortable silence descending around them.

They were both so relaxed that when the phone rang unexpectedly, they jumped.

"That's you," she said, recognising his ringtone.

Danny sat up and switched on the bedside lamp. "Steve?" he answered.

Realising that it had to be important if Steve was calling so early, Mindy wrapped her body in the bedsheet and went in search of her own mobile. Stepping outside of the bedroom, she walked down the short hallway towards the kitchen. She remembered leaving her purse there the night before. Even though it was still dark out, she could see well enough. Like in the bedroom, already the first few rays of dawn were filtering through the blinds hanging before the double doors that lead onto the back patio. The kitchen itself was spacious, the whitewashed cabinets and tiled floors simple yet practical. She loved the open plan design that flowed into the cosy living room. In fact, everything within Danny's home was uncluttered and child friendly, suggesting that its primary inhabitant was a single man with kids.

Smiling at the childlike painting stuck to the refrigerator door, Mindy located her purse on top of one of the granite kitchen counters. Reaching inside, she extracted her cell phone. Thankfully there were no missed calls, only two texts: one from Dr Bergman informing her of an early callout he was handling and that he'd see her at the morgue later that day, the other from her mother inviting her to dinner over the weekend. She assumed the call Danny had received was connected to Dr Bergman's case.

Heading back to the bedroom she found Danny pulling clothing from his cupboard. He'd slipped into a pair of shorts and nothing else. She didn't even try to stop herself from admiring his remarkable physique.

"Work, I take it?"

He grimaced. "Unfortunately. Body washed up on the beach."

Mindy started gathering her belongings.

"Hey, what are you doing?"

"Getting ready to leave?" she said, searching for her bra on the floor.

"Were you called in too?"

"No," she replied, spotting her flesh coloured lace panties peeking out beneath Danny's discarded shirt. She coloured a little as she remembered his reaction to her underwear; he'd practically drooled. She'd have to remember how much he seemed to like lingerie. "Dr Bergman sent me a text. He took the call."

She felt Danny at her back, his hands staying her movements. "Then you don't need to leave." He turned her to face him. "Stay. Sleep. There are still a good couple of hours left before you need to be up."

She bit her lip. She'd love to laze about for a while. "Are you sure?"

"Of course. Steve's picking me up. You can drive my car to work and I can get it back later."

"Or I could just call a cab?" she suggested instead. "You know Steve likes to drive your car. Besides, I need to go home first. This," she said, gesturing to her red gown, "is not suitable morgue attire."

He stepped even closer, his arms sliding around her waist. "A pity."

She shook her head at the gleam in his eyes. "No way. You need to get ready."

"I know," he sighed. "But this—" He tugged at the sheet tucked loosely between her breasts. "—is really distracting."

"Danny!" she laughed, batting his hands away playfully. "Steve is going to be here at any minute!"

"If he's driving my car, the least he can do is wait while I see to, uh, more important matters," he reasoned, his teeth nipping at her earlobe. Her knees went weak.

"I will not be responsible for you arriving late to a crime scene," she said, laughing as she tried to dodge his questing hands. "Your colleagues would never let me forget it." Planting a swift kiss on his lips, she gently pushed him towards the bathroom. "Go!"

Danny groaned. "This is not over," he threatened, backing away reluctantly.

She grinned. "I'm going to hold you to that." With a contented sigh she climbed back into bed, snuggling beneath the covers. She could smell Danny's cologne on his pillow and inhaled deeply, loving the crisp, clean scent. The sound of the shower lulled her and before long she slipped into a light sleep. She awoke suddenly when Danny switched off the bedside lamp.

"You leaving?" she asked, groggily.

"It's okay. Go back to sleep," he soothed, running a finger down her cheek.

She caught his hand. "Danny, be careful, please."

His eyes met hers. Leaning down, he pressed a lingering kiss to her lips. "I will. Now get some rest. Maybe we can do pizza tonight?"

"Maybe I could cook?" she proposed. They'd only ever been out and it would be nice to stay in for a change.

He smiled. "You're amazing, you know that?" A horn blasted outside. "That's Steve." He kissed her again, once, twice, as though he couldn't tear himself away. "I'll leave the keys on the kitchen counter." She nodded. "Talk to you later." Grabbing his badge and weapon from the bedside table he gave her a prolonged stare before heading out the door.

Lying back, Mindy dozed for another hour before she showered and changed into a pair of Danny's track pants and a matching sweater. They were both laughably oversized, but they'd serve their purpose of getting her home so she could change for work.

Sipping some coffee while she waited for her cab to arrive, she tidied the bedroom and opened the wooden slatted blinds to let the sunlight in. A sturdy oak bed dominated the room, the dark brown duvet matching the subdued tones of the creamy walls and carpet. She'd just grabbed her gown and shoes and was heading towards the front room when the doorbell rang.

Thinking it must be the cab driver, she was about to collect her purse when she heard a child's voice outside. Curious, she opened the door. Grace and Charlie stood on the threshold, an attractive brunette beside them. Her stomach dropped. _Rachel._

"Aunt Mindy!" Grace exclaimed, stepping inside to give her a brief hug.

"Hello, Grace. Hey, Charlie," she greeted the boy with the Spiderman knapsack on his back.

He grinned at her fondly, stepping in behind his sister. Unable to avoid the other woman any longer, Mindy met the eyes of Danny's ex-wife. "You must be Rachel?" She extended her hand. "Hi, I'm Mindy."

Reluctantly, the other woman shook her hand. "You must be Danny's new…friend."

Mindy ignored her insulting tone. "Come on in. Did Danny forget you were coming over? He's already left for work."

"No," Grace replied, shoving her long hair over her shoulder. "I forgot one of my textbooks here and I need it for a class test. I'll just get it from my room." Charlie trailed after her.

Alone with Rachel, Mindy gave the other woman an uneasy smile. "They're great kids."

"Yes, they are."

They were standing just inside the entrance hall. Rachel looked flawless, every lock of her shiny hair perfectly in place. She fairly oozed class and sophistication. Her knee length summer dress and heels, both probably designer, looked more expensive than anything Mindy owned. In contrast to the other woman's effortless elegance, she felt more than a little frumpy in Danny's workout clothes. She'd be lying if she said she hadn't been curious to see the type of woman Danny had once been married to, but this was really not the way she'd imagined meeting his ex.

"Would you like to sit?"

Rachel looked at her askance. "No, thanks."

 _Okay_. This was awkward.

"Look, what Danny does in his spare time is not my concern, but I bring our children here. I would appreciate it if you two would conduct yourselves appropriately," Rachel said, crossing her arms.

"Excuse me?" Mindy asked, taken aback.

Rachel motioned vaguely at Mindy's attire. "You obviously spent the night."

"So?"

"The children—"

"—are aware that their father and I are dating," she injected calmly. "Also, I would not have stayed over if Grace or Charlie were here. Clearly Danny was not expecting them."

Rachel cleared her throat and looked away. "Let me give you some advice, Mindy."

"I don't think I need any."

"Humour me." Rachel took a step towards her, lowering her voice. "I was married to Danny so I know what I'm talking about when I say that his work will always come first. If you have any ideas of changing him, let me tell you that I've been there, done that. He's unchangeable."

Outraged on Danny's behalf, Mindy replied, "I'm sure that's not true."

Rachel shook her head. "Trust me, it is. Marriage is hard. In our case it was even harder because Danny constantly endangered his life with no regard for how that affected our family."

"You married him knowing he was a cop," Mindy defended, not sure how to take the other woman's unwelcome interference. "What did you think that would be like?"

Rachel shrugged. "Honestly, I don't know. But I guess sometime between having a kid and waiting up most nights wondering if my husband would return home unharmed, I realised that it wasn't the kind of life I wanted for myself or my child."

If she was honest, Mindy could understand Rachel's fears, after all, she feared for Danny too. But she also knew how important his work was to him. She got involved with him knowing what he did for a living and understood the emotional risks involved in pursuing a relationship with someone who had a dangerous career. But even understanding some of Rachel's fears, perhaps even sympathising with them, did not excuse her interference, or her unfair treatment of Danny. Maybe he hadn't been the best husband to her, but Mindy was sure he'd been a good father. Besides, how dare this woman think to lecture her on Danny's faults? What about her own?

"Firstly, you don't know me and I'm starting to wonder whether you know Danny at all." Rachel's brown eyes flashed with surprise. "Yes, he's dedicated to his work, but it's not the most important thing in his life. His children are." Rachel flushed, and Mindy was pleased to see the flare of guilt flitting across her face. "Secondly, I hardly think you're the right person to be judging him so harshly. From what I understand, you've _both_ made some mistakes."

She let the meaning of her words sink in, watching the realisation of what she was alluding to dawn on Rachel's face. Before the other woman could respond, Grace rushed back in, Charlie hot on her heels.

"I got it!" She must have sensed the tension in the room because she looked from her mother to Mindy. "Is everything okay?"

Mindy smiled brightly. "Of course it is. Good luck with your test. I'm sure you're going to pass with flying colours."

Grace hesitated for only a second before her face relaxed into a smile. "Thanks."

A horn honked outside. "That's probably my cab," Mindy said.

"Grace, Charlie, we need to get going." Rachel ushered the kids outside.

"Bye, Aunt Mindy," Charlie called as he ran past her.

"Bye, guys. Enjoy school!"

Rachel hesitated at the door, looking as though she wanted to say something but must have changed her mind because she walked on without a backward glance. Closing her eyes, Mindy took a few deep, calming breaths. That had not gone well.

When the horn honked again, she grabbed her belongings and locked up. By the time she got outside, Rachel and the kids were already gone.

* * *

Because of the early hour, Danny and Steve got to the beach in record time. The sun had only just risen above the level of the horizon, but already there was a small crowd gathered around the barrier tape cordoning off the crime scene. The only people out this early were usually runners and surfers.

"Get these people further back, would you?" Danny instructed the HPD cop trying to keep the curious onlookers at bay.

Making their way towards the shoreline, they saw Max and a few more cops hovering around a prone, bedraggled body on the sand.

If it weren't for the early call to duty, he'd still be at home with the beautiful woman currently asleep in his bed, Danny recalled. Just the thought of Mindy entwined in his sheets was enough to make his mouth go dry. The previous night (and subsequent morning) had been something of a revelation to him. While Danny was selective about whom he took to bed, he was a far cry from celibate. But being with Mindy had been like nothing he'd ever felt before. Her passionate nature was so sincere, so completely without any show of pretence, that it intoxicated him. He could get drunk on her taste, her touch, and never tire of the experience. Even now, making his way towards a dead body, he couldn't shake the feeling of euphoria that still thrummed through his veins, that filled him so completely he feared he might burst. He knew it went beyond great sex, was smart enough to know that when real emotions were preent in the throes of lovemaking, the experience was nothing short of phenomenal. He could no longer deny it: Mindy was God damn wonderful and he was so in love with her.

The realisation should have freaked him out. And perhaps if it had been about anyone other than her, he might have been. But she possessed such a generosity of mind and spirit, was so genuine and patient and understanding that he couldn't imagine being afraid of loving her. It seemed like the most natural thing in the world, as though she'd always been a part of him, as though these feelings of love and devotion and yearning and had been lying dormant inside of him, just waiting for her to unleash them.

He wanted to tell her, had considered doing so before he'd left, but had ultimately decided to wait. He hadn't wanted to confess something so profound while his partner was waiting for him outside and he had no time to explain himself properly. Tonight, he thought with a smile. He'd tell her tonight.

"Danny! Hey, Danny!" Steve called, tapping him on his shoulder. They'd reached the body. "You okay?"

"Sorry," he said, shaking his head. "I have some stuff on my mind."

Steve raised an amused brow. "Yeah, I'd bet."

Danny shoved his hands into his pockets, grinning. "Hey Max, what have we got?"

Their resident ME was crouched beside the victim. When he saw them, he stood up. "Good morning, Detective. Commander." He flashed them a sombre smile. "Our victim appears to be a young male, probably somewhere in his early to mid 20's. My preliminary findings include several bruises on the face, arms and torso as well as ligature marks around the throat."

"Are you saying this guy was strangled?" Steve asked, folding his arms across his chest.

"It looks like it," Max confirmed.

Danny peered at the battered body covered in sand. The poor kid's face was bloodied and discoloured, his sodden jeans and shirt plastered to his skin. "So there's a possibility he didn't actually drown and the body was just dumped at sea?"

"Right again," Max said. "Surfers found him washed up on shore and called the police. Until I get his body back to the morgue and perform the autopsy, I cannot definitively determine COD."

"What about leads on his identity?" Steve asked, just as Kono and Chin joined them.

"Hey, guys," Kono said. "We've been canvassing the area and one of the shop owners along the promenade recognised our vic."

"Evan Jonsen," Chin continued. "He was busted last year for petty theft, but got off with a couple weeks' community service."

Steve looked from the body to Kono. "Any idea where he lives?"

She consulted her tablet and rattled off an address.

"Dodgy part of town," Danny remarked, glad he never removed their bullet proof vests from the trunk of his car. There was a chance they'd need it.

"Alright. Danny and I will go to the house. Chin, you and Kono get back to HQ and see what else you can dig up on this kid," Steve instructed. "I wanna know who he's been friendly with and anyone in his life who might want to see him dead. Also, check the marina records to see if anyone took their boats out in the last 24 hours."

"You got it," Chin said.

"I'll call you as soon as we have anything, boss," Kono added before they walked off.

"Max, let us know when you get anything more on the body, okay?" Danny asked.

He nodded. "Certainly, Detective. And may I say that you look very…relaxed, considering the late night you had."

"The, uh, late night I had? What is that supposed to mean, huh?" How the hell would Max know that he and Mindy—?

"The party last night?" Max explained with a frown and Danny breathed a sigh of relief. "It only ended a few hours ago. I admit that while I left at a decent time, many others, yourselves included, probably didn't."

Steve was chuckling. "He definitely had a late night, Max. And now that you mention it, he does look rather relaxed, doesn't he?"

"Less grumpy, wouldn't you say Commander?"

"Oh yeah, I've heard that vigorous exerc—" Steve started.

"Okay, that's enough," Danny interrupted, pointing at Steve and then at Max. "You know what? You two can stay here all day and, uh, bond, or whatever it is that you're doing, alright? In the meantime, I actually have work to do." He turned to leave.

"I think I'm missing something," Danny heard Max say to Steve.

"Don't worry about it," Steve replied, still laughing. "Hey, Danny, wait up!"

* * *

Thirty minutes later, Danny and Steve were dodging bullets outside the victim's apartment. Kono had found out that the deceased had a pretty bad gambling problem and he owned some bad people a lot of money. When they'd arrived, they'd caught a notorious loan shark trying to break into the apartment. When they'd tried to apprehend him, a shoot-out had ensued. While Danny had already called for back-up, he knew it would take HPD at least fifteen minutes to get there.

"You're glowing," Steve remarked conversationally, his weapon pointed towards the front door. "If this is what getting laid does for you, then I approve."

Danny pulled a face, glaring at his friend. "Seriously? We have a psycho shooting at us every 5 seconds and you want to talk about my sex life?"

Steve crept forward, his eyes focused on the doorway ahead. "So you admit you have one?"

"This falls into the realm of none of your damned business."

Steve pounded on the door. "Hector Alvez, Five-0, open up!"

"I can't believe this! You're asking the guy who's been shooting at us for permission to enter? I admit, I was not expecting this."

Steve flashed him a smile. "What can I say? Maybe you're rubbing off on me."

Danny snorted. "Yeah. And unicorns exist."

Steve gestured to the door. "On three, two, one…" Steve kicked it in before Danny hurried inside, swiftly assessing the surroundings. They were in the kitchen and the place was filthy - dishes everywhere, the remnants of food strewn all over. Towards the back there was archway leading into the rest of the apartment. Steve moved ahead. "You're really not telling me anything?"

Danny motioned to the bedroom on the left, so Steve went right. The space was as small as a cubbyhole with nowhere to hide. "Clear!" he called, backing out again.

"Clear!" Steve concurred, meeting him in the hallway.

"All you need to know is that I'm happy, okay?" He followed closely behind Steve, turning periodically to check behind them.

"I can see that," Steve replied, his eyes focussed ahead.

"Good."

They cleared another room.

"So you aren't—"

"Stop, alright?" Danny interjected, exasperated. "Can we do this another time, please? I'd rather concentrate on not dying right now. Yes? Thank you."

Steve rolled his eyes.

They heard a crash towards the back of the apartment and hurried onward. Entering the back room, they saw Alvez, a tall, shady looking guy in jeans and sneakers opening a window. When he saw them he fired a shot in their direction. Both Danny and Steve ducked out of the way, the bullet hitting the doorframe and spraying wood chips around them. When they looked up, Alvez had slipped outside.

"I'll go round!" Danny yelled, running back the way they'd come in the hopes of cutting him off outside.

Sprinting around the side of the building, he could see Alvez dashing across the courtyard, Steve in hot pursuit. Recognising the perp's intention of hopping through the neighbours backyards, Danny headed towards the end of the block. Reaching his destination, he waited. He could hear Alvez approaching. A few more seconds…

When he came barrelling over the fence, Danny caught him by the scruff of the neck and pushed him to the floor, kicking his gun out of reach. "Stay down!"

"I didn't do, it! I'm innocent!" he shouted, his face buried in the pavement.

"Right, pal. Because innocent men always run around shooting at cops." Steve arrived seconds later. "Nice of you to finally join us," Danny remarked.

"Miss me?" he quipped, dragging Alvez to his feet. "You are under arrest."

"Look, I'm sorry, okay? I didn't know you were cops."

"Oh, well that just makes it so much better," Danny replied, condescendingly. "Also, you didn't hear us calling 'Five-O'?"

"No!"

"Then I guess you're deaf as well as stupid."

"Unbelievable," Steve said, shaking his head.

"I thought you were sent by Leroy! He's been trying to kill me!" Alvez explained, while Steve cuffed him.

"If I were you, I'd shut up, okay? You see this guy?" Danny placed a hand on Steve's shoulder. "He likes to shoot people. As a matter of fact, I like to shoot people too. Especially murderers."

"I'm telling you, I didn't murder anyone!" he wailed, as they headed towards the car.

"Save it, alright?" Danny instructed. "As soon as we—" There was a loud bang.

"Get down!" Steve yelled, dragging Alvez with him to the ground.

Another shooter was firing at them. Danny peeked out from behind the car he was crouching beside. The shooter was across the road. "Who the hell is this guy?" Danny called, dodging another bullet flying their way before leaning forward and firing off a few rounds.

"It's Leroy! I told you!"

"Stay calm, alright?" Steve commanded, pushing Alvez down onto the floor. To Danny, "Second floor, across the street."

"I can see him," Danny said, cringing when a bullet whizzed past his ear. "This asshole's good."

"You gotta untie me, man. I can't die like this!" Alvez yelled.

"You're right." Steve uncuffed one hand before hitching the other to the back of the car. "At least you'll have one hand free." He threw the key to Danny. "I think I can get up there, but I'm gonna need you to cover me."

"Are you crazy?" Danny yelled. "It's raining bullets. This is not the time to play the hero, Steve!"

"Just cover me, okay?"

Danny gritted his teeth. He knew this was an argument he would not win. "Fine. Go. Now!" He started shooting as Steve ran across the road. He only stopped when his partner reached the other side.

He dug into the pocket of his bullet proof vest and retrieved another cartridge. He needed to reload. In the distance he could hear HPD sirens. _Good._

"Put it down," he heard from beside him.

Alvez was holding a gun to the back of his head. _Shit!_ He must have had the second weapon stashed somewhere on his body. When Steve had released his one hand, he'd been able to reach it.

"Alright, look," Danny said. "Trust me when I tell you that you do not want to do this, okay?"

"Throw me the gun and then hand over the key to the cuffs."

Cursing inwardly, Danny threw his weapon to the ground. "Listen to me—"

"I want the key!" Alvez roared, waving the gun threateningly.

"Okay, okay." Danny held his hands up before slowly reaching for the key. He held it out.

Alvez looked at the key and then at the gun in his hand. Clearly he'd realised that he couldn't keep the weapon trained on Danny whilst uncuffing himself at the same time. His pale blue eyes glanced from Danny to the key and back again. His hands shook. "I'm sorry man."

With a sense of dread, Danny reached forward at the same time that the gun fired.

* * *

Mindy had just completed her handover to Dr Bergman of the case load she'd handled during his absence when her cell phone rang.

Giving her boss an apologetic smile, she reached for her mobile. It was Commander McGarrett.

"Commander," she said, surprised.

"Hey, Mindy," she heard from the other end.

She smiled. "If you're calling about your surf victim, Dr Bergman and I haven't even started the autopsy yet. But if you—"

"It's not about the surf victim," he interjected.

She frowned. "Oh. What's the problem then?" His silence caused a knot of fear to settle in the pit of her stomach. "Steve, what's wrong?"

"It's Danny." He hesitated. "He's been shot."


	7. Chapter 7

The drive to the hospital was interminable, the threat of tears so close to the surface that Mindy had a hard time holding them back. It was only the reminder that she would be of no use to anyone if she broke down that kept her emotions reigned in, though only barely. She knew she was balancing on a knife's edge and she was terrified that the smallest thing might set her off.

 _He's been shot._ Steve's words were on a loop in her brain, playing over and over, the possible repercussions of their meaning too frightening to contemplate. She didn't know where it had happened or how, or even what state Danny was currently in and the lack of knowledge was slowly suffocating her. She couldn't breathe, couldn't think, couldn't focus on anything other than the litany of prayers she kept repeating throughout the short drive.

Intellectually she knew that one day something like this might occur. Five-0 certainly got themselves into enough dangerous situations to warrant the concern. But knowing something _might_ happen versus actually _experiencing_ it first-hand were two completely separate concepts. Perhaps she'd been naïve to think that she could handle hearing the man she loved had been maimed in the line of duty with the same aplomb with which she dissected corpses. She didn't feel calm and confident and in control now. She felt unsettled and terrified, as though she were slowly unravelling. What if something horrific had happened to him? What if he could no longer walk, or talk or move? What if —? _No_ , she admonished. She wouldn't think like that. Danny would be fine. _He had to be._

Slipping into the first available parking space, Mindy dashed across the road into Queen's Medical. Her heart in her throat, she approached the reception desk, well aware that she looked more than a little frazzled.

"Hi. I'm looking for Danny Williams? He's a Five-0 cop who was brought in a little while ago?"

The receptionist, an elderly woman in a maroon and white uniform, tapped her keyboard expertly. "Oh yes. He was in trauma but they just wheeled him up to Ortho. Second floor, left."

"Thank you!" Mindy ignored the lifts and headed for the stairs, knowing it would be quicker. When she reached the ward, she asked a passing nurse for directions and was guided to a room down the hall. Stationed outside the closed door was a uniformed HPD cop she didn't recognise.

"I'm here to see Danny," she stated without preamble.

The officer gazed at her impassively. "Name, please?"

"Mindy Shaw," she said impatiently. " _Dr_ Mindy Shaw."

He looked down at the sheet of paper tacked to the clipboard in his hand. "I'm sorry, Dr Shaw. Your name isn't on the list."

She blinked. "That's impossible."

He looked again. "I'm sorry, but only authorised personnel are allowed in. It's for safety reasons."

"B-But I need to see him," she insisted, unable to mask the tremble in her voice.

"That's not possible," he maintained.

"Are you kidding me?" she exclaimed, the threat of tears nearly overwhelming. "Where is Commander McGarrett? He'd let me in."

The cop took a step towards her. "Dr Shaw, I'm going to have to ask you to leave."

"That's not happening," she retorted, trying to get around him. She was not leaving the hospital until she'd ascertained for herself that Danny was alright. "I suggest you find Commander McGarrett right now because if you don't you're going to have to—"

"Mindy?" Steve called, approaching swiftly.

"Steve!" She latched onto his forearm. "I got here as soon as I could and I've been trying to get in, but this… _officer_ ," she stressed, glaring at the offending cop, "says I'm not on the list."

The Commander grasped her elbow gently and steered her towards the door. "Ben, it's okay. Dr Shaw has my permission to enter at any time."

The cop looked mildly apologetic. "Sorry, Dr. I was just doing my job."

Mindy nodded. She supposed to ought to be grateful for his diligence, but that was not her primary concern. Preceding Steve, she crossed the threshold, her heart pounding so hard she could hear the deafening roar in her ears. The room itself was nondescript, the beige walls and tiled floors a staple inside most medical facilities. Her eyes darting around quickly, her gaze sought and found the single bed in the corner. Kono and Chin were standing at the foot end beside a large window, their conversation grinding to a halt when they saw her.

Looking past them, she devoured the sight of the man sitting up in a blue hospital gown, his left leg elevated above a mound of pillows. When her eyes met Danny's, her legs nearly buckled in sweet relief. The fact that he was awake and alert was a good sign.

"Kono, Chin, let's get some coffee."

The cousins dutifully filed out behind their boss as Mindy rushed towards the bed, throwing her purse carelessly into an empty chair.

"Are you okay?" she choked, flinging her arms around him, careful not to hug him too tightly for fear of hurting him.

He had no such concerns, his arms closing around her securely. "I'm fine."

 _Thank God_. "Steve said you were shot."

"Steve says too much," he complained, cupping her cheeks in both hands. "I'm okay."

"How can you be okay if you've been shot?" she demanded, a tad shrill. Her eyes welled with tears, the worry of the past hour finally catching up with her.

Danny's eyes softened. "Hey, babe, don't cry, please. Mindy, come on, you're killing me, here."

A fat tear slid down her cheek. "Don't you dare joke about this!" Another tear escaped and then another. "You have no idea what I've been imagining."

"Shit," he muttered raggedly, tugging her against his chest. "I'm sorry. It's alright. I'm alright," he soothed, a little choked up too.

Mindy savoured his closeness, relishing the feel of his arms around her. _He's alive_. Remembering his injury, she sniffed and drew back, swiping at her cheeks. A frisson of fear raced through her when she glanced at his leg covered in a thick wad of bandages. "What has the doctor said?"

"Not much. I just got back from X-ray before you arrived. Sounds like my leg's broken," he explained, reaching for her hand. "Certainly hurts enough to make me believe it."

Her fingers clung to his. "What happened?"

"It was stupid," he grimaced. "Steve and I apprehended a suspect not knowing he had a second gun." When her eyes widened, he quickly added, "He wasn't planning on killing me. He just wanted to slow me down."

"Is that supposed to be a comfort?" she snapped, surprised by the vehemence in her tone.

Danny looked equally taken aback. "Of course not."

She exhaled slowly. "Were you hurt anywhere else?"

"No," he said, his eyes clouding with worry. "Mindy, are you alright?"

She couldn't swallow past the lump in her throat. "No, I'm not alright, Danny. You were almost—"

"Detective Williams?" A doctor with a large manila envelope strolled in. "Ah, and I see Mrs Williams is here also. Good."

Mindy's face flushed. "Actually, it's—"

" _Dr_ Williams?" It took her a second to realise he must have seen MEDICAL EXAMINER written across her back in bold yellow letters and made the connection. She hadn't bothered to change out of her uniform before rushing to the hospital. He extended a hand towards her. "Dr Jeffries."

"Hi," she said awkwardly, avoiding eye contact with Danny.

The lanky man, probably somewhere in his mid-forties, smiled, his teeth unnaturally white. "Your husband is very lucky." He glanced at Danny before reaching inside the envelope to remove an X-ray slide. Lifting it towards the light, he pointed to the lateral bone in the left leg. "The bullet just nicked the fibula causing a clean distal break. If the hooter's aim had been millimetres closer to the median, you'd have been looking at a shattered tibia, too. I won't go into the possible complications that could have caused."

Mindy shuddered, knowing more than enough about the damage bullets could inflict on the human body.

"So there is a silver lining," Danny noted, dryly.

Mindy shot him a piercing look before turning her attention back to Dr Jeffries. "No surgical intervention is necessary, right?"

"No," he agreed, then looked pointedly at his patient. "But only if you rest properly and allow the bone adequate time to heal." He raised the X-ray again. "At the moment, the bones are well aligned, but because the fracture is so close to the ankle, too much early movement could displace it. If that happens, internal fixation is the only option to prevent the bones from healing in an unsatisfactory position."

Danny raised a brow apprehensively. "Internal fixation? What, uh, what is that?"

Despite her own heightened emotional state, Mindy recognised his anxiety and squeezed his hand comfortingly. "It's a common procedure that involves using plates and screws to secure the bones in place."

"Ahhh," he said, his fingers tightening around hers. "I'd, uh, prefer it if we could avoid that at all costs."

"It's very safe, Detective," Dr Jeffries continued. "Your healing time would be cut in half and you could start weight bearing almost immediately. But like I said, it won't be necessary if you follow my instructions."

Danny looked at her. "Why do I feel incredibly nervous all of a sudden?"

"You're young and healthy," Mindy encouraged. "The fracture is uncomplicated and will heal naturally with time and rest."

Dr Jeffries nodded his approval.

"How much time are we talking?" Danny asked.

Dr Jeffries tilted his head to the side, considering. "Conservatively, I'd say six to eight weeks, but it really depends on the patient. In your case, four to six would probably be more accurate."

Danny sighed. "Then I guess R&R it is."

"I must warn you though, you'll be in considerable pain for some time, but I can prescribe something to assist with managing your discomfort." He scribbled on the paperwork in his hand. "I'll have an orderly collect you shortly so we can get you fitted with an orthopaedic boot. You'll also need crutches. Minimal weight bearing on your affected leg, please, at least until I say otherwise. I'm sure your wife will explain the particulars," he said, giving Mindy a warm smile. "I'm prescribing complete rest for two weeks, with the leg elevated as much as possible. Thereafter, you should be able to return to light duty."

"Thank you." Danny shook the man's hand before peering up at Mindy. "I'm sure my, uh, _wife_ , can help me out with any other questions."

Mindy knew he was trying to create some levity, but she didn't see the humour in any of this.

"Very good. I'd like to keep you overnight for observation, just to be safe. If I'm happy with your numbers in the morning, I'll have you discharged."

"See? No big deal," Danny said lightly, after Dr Jeffries departed.

"This is a _very_ big deal," Mindy countered, withdrawing her hand from his and rubbing it across her forehead. "You could have been killed, Danny."

His eyes searched hers. "But I wasn't."

"Only because you were lucky!" she answered harshly. Her stomach was still a mass of churning knots, the thought of what could potentially have happened to him turning her relief to anger – at the shooter for hurting him, at Danny because he should have known better. "You say the shooter didn't want you dead, but that doesn't mean that he couldn't have seriously injured you regardless of his intentions!"

Danny frowned, his eyes darkening with concern. "Yes, you're right. But this is my job. I don't go out expecting to get hurt, but I accept that it's something that could happen."

And that's the part she had trouble accepting. "This is what Rachel meant, isn't it?"

"Rachel?" Danny repeated, startled. "What are you talking about?"

Immediately Mindy regretted saying anything. She turned her back to him. "Look, nevermind. We can talk about this some other time."

"No. Absolutely not," he insisted. "It has been my experience that avoiding uncomfortable conversations just makes situations worse, not better."

She bit her lip, unsure. Caught in his penetrating stare, she blurted, "This morning after you left, Rachel came to the house." Danny's brows knit together, but he remained silent. "Grace needed a book from her room so they stopped by, expecting you of course."

"Okay," he said, carefully. "What did she say?"

"Nothing…exactly," Mindy hedged.

"Come on, don't give me that. You're clearly upset. I would have thought it was purely because I was injured, but now I find out that you had an early morning visit from my ex-wife. Forgive me, but it seems as though there's a connection here."

They were arguing. It was the first time since they'd met that a serious issue had arisen between them. "She mentioned how hard being in a relationship with you had been because of the dangerous nature of your work." She paused. "Rachel insinuated that things wouldn't work out between us because of it."

If the way he was clenching his jaw was any indication, Danny was furious. "And, uh, you agree with her?"

"I didn't this morning," she confessed, feeling wretched. "But when Steve called and he said you'd been hurt…her words lit up like a neon sign in my head."

He went completely still. "So, what are you saying?"

Her eyes started burning. "I'm not saying anything."

"No," he denied, shaking his head. "Don't do that, okay? Don't pretend that there's not a problem here when I can tell that there is." His tone was even, but she could read the tension in every line of his body.

"Danny, this is not the time to be talking about this," she reasoned, wiping a tear from her cheek. "You're in hospital. Let's wait until you get home."

"I don't wanna wait, okay? I want to know how you really feel about this," he insisted. His eyes were trained on her, the hurt radiating from them enough to make her want to weep. When she remained silent, he looked away, his shoulders drooping. "Are you, uh, are you saying that this is too much for you?" he asked, quietly. "Is the reality of knowing that I could end up like this again, or worse, something you can't deal with?"

"I-I—" She was unsure of how to articulate her feelings.

"It's a yes or a no question, Mindy," he said, his eyes glued to hers.

Her mouth moved but before she could get a word out there was a knock at the door. Danny growled in frustration, throwing his hands into the air, rather oblivious to the IV line stuck in his arm. An efficient-looking nurse breezed in, followed by a young orderly.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I wasn't aware you had a guest, Detective. In any event, it's time for your meds and we need to get that boot on." The nurse turned to Mindy. "Are you family?"

Certain she was going to burst into tears again, she tore her gaze from Danny's. "Uh, no. No, I'm not."

"Then I'm going to have to ask you to leave. Visiting hours are over."

She glanced at Danny, but he was staring out of the window. When he didn't ask her to stay, her heart sank. Retrieving her purse she walked to the door before hesitating. The nurse was already fussing over him. Wrenching the door open, she stepped out. She was going to cry, she could feel it. Scalding tears formed in the corners of her eyes, blinding her as she stumbled down the corridor. Rounding a corner, she bumped into a solid form.

"Slow down there." Strong hands reached out to steady her. Keeping her head down, she made to pass, but the hands wouldn't let go. "Dr Shaw?" She glanced up at Captain Grover, his eyes filled with concern. "Are you alright?"

She started to talk but all that escaped was a muffled sob. Placing a fatherly arm around her, he steered her to a pair of vacant seats outside a sluice room. "Come on over here." He guided her into the seat. "Can I get you anything? Some water?"

She shook her head. "No, no thanks. I just need a minute."

He dug into his pocket and removed a handkerchief. At her startled look, he shrugged. "I have a daughter."

She accepted it gratefully and dabbed at her eyes. "I'm sorry. You've caught me at a low point."

"I take it this is about Danny?" he smiled sympathetically.

She sniffed. "I handled things so badly."

"You're upset about the shooting," he guessed.

She nodded. "I am and I think he thinks that it's a deal breaker for me…that I want to walk away because of it."

"Do you?"

"No!" she denied, hotly. Then, miserably, "I don't know." She fidgeted with the folds of the handkerchief. "I was upset and angry and I didn't explain myself well. Then the nurse arrived and asked me to leave and Danny didn't ask me to stay…" her words trailed off.

"You gotta see this from his perspective, Doc," Lou explained gently. "His first marriage failed because his wife couldn't handle his job. Then to add insult to injury, she tried to take his kids away from him too. As a father myself, let me tell you, that affects a man in ways I cannot even begin to describe."

Mindy listened carefully, her heart breaking for Danny.

"Then he meets you and he's happy again. He starts to feel hope. But like it always does, reality comes knockin' and the bubble you two have been in suddenly bursts. Old fears and doubts start to surface." Lou sat back and regarded her intently. "I guess my question is, what are you gonna do about it? If you're not up for the task, ain't nobody gonna blame you. Trust me, a cop's family does not have it easy. But if you stay, you accept the risks and you make the most of every day because of it. Mindy, _if you stay_ , you can't ever say you walked in without your eyes wide open."

She swallowed past the lump in the throat.

Lou patted her shoulder comfortingly. "For what it's worth, I can tell that you love him."

"He's an easy man to love."

Lou snorted. "I hope you're speaking for yourself."

Mindy laughed and then sobered. "Thank you, Captain Grover."

"You gonna be okay?"

"Yes." He stood, but she reached out to stall him. "This is yours."

He eyed the wet handkerchief in amusement. "That's alright, Doc. You can keep it."

She curled her fingers around it and watched as he walked away, his words echoing in her head.

* * *

After being poked and prodded for the umpteenth time, Danny settled back onto the bed, exhausted. His boot felt like a band of lead around his lower leg and he knew it would take some time to adjust to the feeling. He was in considerable pain, but that was the least of his worries. His argument with Mindy weighed heavily on his mind. He couldn't believe Rachel had the audacity to interfere in his personal life…or that whatever she'd said had affected Mindy's views on their relationship. It hurt. And unlike his leg, he couldn't take a pill for his heartache.

The thing was, he couldn't even blame Mindy for being upset about what had happened to him. It was natural, expected even. But for some reason he hadn't thought about how the incident would affect her. That was his fault. They'd never talked about the dangers his work presented and perhaps he'd taken her feelings around the issue for granted because they worked so closely together - as though her being an ME instead of a secretary somehow made her concerns less valid because she had first-hand knowledge of the horrors he faced on a daily basis. But beneath her professional veneer, she was still a person with fears and worries and concerns and the truth was that he'd never addressed any of them. Maybe Mindy hadn't even realised she had any until this morning.

He loved her and he didn't want to lose her, so not knowing where they stood or what happened next was driving him crazy. Angry at himself, at the situation, he sank back against the pillows, his hands stroking his temples. Already he could feel a headache brewing. Grabbing the remote off the bedside table, he switched off the TV; he had zero interest in game shows at the moment.

"Hey, buddy," Steve called, strolling in. "Where's Mindy? I thought she'd be glued to your hip." When Danny didn't respond to the joke, Steve's expression turned serious. "Everything okay?"

Danny gestured vaguely. "Not really."

Steve pulled up a chair. "What happened?"

"She met Rachel this morning." Steve issued a low whistle. "Yeah. You can just imagine how that went."

"Mindy doesn't seem like the kind who'd be rattled by your ex," Steve observed thoughtfully.

"I don't think she is. But, uh, Rachel mentioned some stuff about the downside of being in a relationship with a cop. I don't think Mindy was particularly concerned about it until—"

"— you got shot," his friend concluded.

Danny nodded. "A hard dose of reality."

"So, she's a little upset?"

"I'd say more than a little."

Steve's mouth parted in surprise. "Mindy didn't break things off, did she?" he asked in disbelief.

Hearing the words caused a pang in the pit of his stomach. "Not officially, but I think it might be heading that way."

"And you're just going to leave it like that?"

Danny glared at his friend. "What the hell do you want me to do, huh? She listened to my ex explaining all the reasons why being married to me sucked. Then I got shot. Can I argue against that?" he asked, his voice rising. "No. You know why? Because all the things Rachel said were probably true."

"That's bullshit," Steve countered, growing equally irate. "You love Mindy. Don't even bother denying it. I've known you for five years and I've never seen the kind of stars you've had in your eyes since you met her, there for anyone else. Surely that's worth fighting for?"

"Okay, yes, I love her, alright? Are you happy to hear me say it?" Danny demanded. "But it changes nothing. This is who I am. My job is a part of who I am. I can't force Mindy to accept something I can't change."

"Who said anything about force?" Steve asked. "Talk to her. Hear what she has to say. Address her fears."

Danny wished it was that simple. "I can't, alright?"

"What do you mean you can't?" Steve argued.

"I just can't! What part of that do you have trouble understanding?"

Steve stared at him. "Wait. You're afraid," his partner concluded intuitively.

Danny glanced out of the window, not wanting Steve to see how close to the mark he'd hit. He was afraid. In fact, he was terrified he'd end up begging her to stay only to have her leave anyway. He didn't think he could face that. Not when he'd had a taste of the kind of happiness he felt with her. Having it stripped away from him a second time would be unbearable.

"Danny, you can't just give up. If you love her, fight for her!"

"Look, Steve, I don't wanna talk about this, right now, okay? Tell me about the case?"

Steve looked like he wanted to argue but instead shook his head and sat back. "Alvez crumbled under interrogation. According to him, our vic, Evan Jonsen, stole a bunch of cash from Leroy Burns. When Leroy found out, he threatened Jonsen, demanding the cash back. Out of fear, Jonsen returned as much of the money that he had left, but not everything."

"So Leroy killed him," Danny determined. "But why would he do that if Jonsen still owed him a considerable debt? He'd be no use to him dead."

"That's the thing. Our vic had a side gig dealing in uncut diamonds."

"Of course he did," Danny mocked. These crooks never learned.

"Rumour has it, he worked from his apartment. Leroy was at his place this morning hoping to steal whatever diamonds were stashed there to help recoup some of his losses."

"Leroy corroborating the story?"

"No. We're working on getting enough evidence to nail him."

Danny glared at his leg. "I'm sorry that I can't be of any help. But you know, you got me shot, so…"

" _I_ got you shot?" Steve echoed, aghast.

"You heard me. You know you did."

Steve quirked a brow. "Care to explain how you reached this erroneous conclusion?"

"You were supposed to pat the guy down. Instead, you uncuff one hand giving him the opportunity to shoot me."

"Are you insane? We were taking fire. I did what I had to, okay?"

Danny shook his head. "Whatever. I take it you're not going to apologise for getting me shot. Again."

"Again? You're never gonna let that one go, are you?"

"Let it go?" Danny demanded, incensed. "Seriously? You make it sound like you stole one of my French fries instead of being the cause of a bullet ripping through my flesh. And that was only the first time. Now I have a broken leg as another souvenir of this outstanding partnership."

Steve rolled his eyes. "You're so dramatic."

"Dramatic? Really? We can't all be you, okay? Super human Navy SEAL who dodges bullets in his sleep. Some of us are mere mortals."

Steve huffed. "I already apologised."

"You did. For the first time. Not for today."

"It was not my fault!" Steve yelled.

"I see the counselling hasn't been working," Lou quipped good naturedly, walking in.

"This guy has too many issues," Steve replied, jerking a thumb in Danny's direction.

Lou shook Danny's hand. "How you feeling, brother?"

"Like I've been shot. But apparently I'll live."

"Well, I'm glad to hear it."

"Thanks, buddy."

"And not to worry. We'll hold down the fort while you lounge around for a few weeks," Lou teased.

"Oh, right. Lounge around? Is that, uh, what you think I'm gonna to be doing?"

"Aren't you?" Lou asked innocently.

Danny pointed to his leg. "Actually, I'm going to be allowing my leg time to mend so that I don't have to have a doctor cut me open making me a target for metal detectors everywhere, okay?"

"Yeah yeah. All I'm hearing is paid vacation," Steve laughed.

"Fine. Gimme your gun, Lou. Maybe if I shoot Steve he can have a _paid vacation_ , too."

Lou chuckled, steeping away from Danny's side. "You can shoot him. Just not with my gun."

Steve's phone rang before he could retaliate. "McGarrett." He listened. "Yeah, send them up." He ended the call. "Rachel and Grace are here to see you."

At the mention of his ex, Danny felt his hackles rising. But for their daughter's sake, he'd keep his anger in check. "Great."

Steve went to open the door. A few minutes later, Grace entered cautiously. Danny's face split into a genuine smile when he saw her. "Hey, monkey. Come and give your old man hug."

She looked relieved as she hurried to his side, throwing herself across his chest. "Are you okay, Danno?"

He kissed her hair. "Yeah, I'm fine. Nothing too serious."

"And the bad guys?"

"I got him, Gracie," Steve replied with a grin. "You don't have to worry."

"How long will you be in here?" she asked.

"Just overnight. I should be home tomorrow," he replied, tapping her chin. "Where's your brother?"

Grace pulled a face. "Mon didn't think it was a good idea to bring him to the hospital. She said he can visit you at home."

"I see," Danny said, trying not to feel resentful.

Grace looked around suddenly. "Where's Aunt Mindy?"

Danny was spared from having to answer when Rachel entered, hovering in the doorway. "Hey Grace, would you go with Uncle Steve and Uncle Lou to get me some water, please? My mouth feels a little dry."

She nodded, slipping off the bed. "Sure."

He didn't miss the concerned look Steve sent his way before he exited the room, closing the door behind him.

"I heard you met Mindy," Danny said without warning.

Rachel flushed, a sign of guilt. "Yes, this morning. Danny, about that—"

"Yes, about that," he snapped angrily. "What the hell were you thinking, huh? Involving yourself in my personal life?"

She held up a hand. "I know, I'm sorry. I was way out of line."

"Damn right, you were."

"I know I should apologise to Mindy," she said, approaching the bed slowly. "I don't know why I said what I did."

"Yes you do," he contradicted, attempting to sit up some more. "You were trying to sabotage my relationship." The effort placed strain on his lower back, so he ended up flopping back onto the bed in frustration.

"No—"

"Yes! It's what you do, Rachel. I'm not good enough, my work is too dangerous, I'm a lousy father, but you still love the idea of having me at your beck and call," he raged, so angry he was shaking. "It stops today, you hear me? Right now. This instant. You and I are divorced and the only things left between us are the two kids we have together. If you have something to say to me that pertains to them, by all means. But on any other front I would appreciate it if you'd stay out of my life."

His words reverberated around the room, the silence following them almost deafening.

"I guess I deserve that," she admitted quietly. "And if it's really what you want..."

"It is. It is most definitely what I want."

Rachel had the grace to look ashamed, though it did nothing to improve his mood. "Danny, I am sorry." She stopped beside the bed and continued, "I am, truly. I want to talk to Mindy. What I said, it was entirely inappropriate and…I was wrong."

Danny exhaled loudly. "Yeah well. Too late for that."

She frowned. "What do you mean?"

"It means you win, Rachel. Whatever you said to her did the trick," he replied bitterly.

Her jaw dropped. "I'll talk to her—"

"Please don't, okay?" he cautioned, raising a hand in warning. "You've done enough."

Steve and Grace returned moments later with a flask of water. Immediately Danny turned his attention to his daughter and away from the woman who'd been instrumental in destroying his happiness yet again. Or perhaps he'd done this all on his own and he was merely blaming Rachel because it was easier than having to blame himself. After all, the things his ex-wife had accused him of throughout their marriage had not been wholly unjustified. He had been selfish and inattentive and dismissive of her feelings. Granted, it did not excuse her subsequent behaviour, but she'd not been the only one responsible for the breakdown of their marriage. A fair share of the responsibility lay at his doorstep, too. Ultimately their relationship had ended because Danny hadn't fought hard enough to keep them together. When she'd decided to leave he'd put up resistance, but even now he knew it had been more for Grace's sake than for his own. He and Rachel had not been well suited. He could see that clearly now.

But with Mindy it was different. Everything that had been hard in his previous relationships was easy with her. Things like compromise and commitment and understanding and support came naturally. He'd never had to ask for any of it. Mindy had been right. Today he had been lucky. He could have been killed and if he placed himself in her shoes, he couldn't begin to imagine how he'd have felt on the receiving end of that call. Maybe she just needed some space, or maybe he had to take his best friends advice and fight for her. If anyone was worth it, she was.

Determined to channel his thoughts elsewhere, he gave Grace his full attention. But even as he listened to her chatting animatedly, he couldn't ignore the stabs of pain shooting through his body, a pain he knew had absolutely nothing to do with his broken leg.


	8. Chapter 8

Mindy spent the remainder of the day at home. Dr Bergman had generously instructed her to take the time off and she was grateful. She knew she was in no frame of mind to complete any work of a delicate and complex nature. Besides, in her current state, she'd probably scare her boss. While Max was one of the kindest and gentlest souls she knew, she wasn't sure how he'd handle an overly emotional woman.

She felt awful and she was sure she didn't look any better. Having changed into black leggings and a loose sweater, she was attempting to sort through the mound of personal mail that had accumulated over the past few weeks. Though it was hardly a diverting task. Her stomach was in knots, her head throbbing, her eyes red and puffy. Pangs of anxiety kept assaulting her senses whenever she thought about the way she and Danny had left things: unresolved, open-ended, vague. When had her life become so complicated? She was young, healthy and in love. She was supposed to be happy. Instead she'd been bawling her eyes out for the better part of the morning, fretting over a decision that was tearing her up inside.

Throwing yet another envelope onto the rapidly growing pile of junk mail, she sighed. She knew Danny was upset. He was also hurt. The way he'd looked at her right before the nurse had interrupted them made her heart ache. She hadn't meant to get into it with him right then and there considering the appalling timing, but in the end her own upset had been the catalyst that brought everything to a head. And now she had no idea where they stood - which was entirely her fault. Danny wasn't the one considering ending things between them. She was. Just the thought of actually breaking up with him caused a flurry of sharp twinges in the bowels of her belly.

She couldn't believe that just that morning she'd woken up in his arms, had made love with him not knowing that mere hours later everything would change. Giving up on the mail, she reached for her phone and stared at the photo on her lock screen. It was of Danny, her and the kids in the water at Dolphin Quest. Warmth flooded her insides as she gazed at the image, the memory of that day so vivid that she could recall every detail with startling clarity. They looked so happy. Danny was smiling broadly, his arm wrapped around her shoulders. There were other photos too - of the two of them one morning after she'd managed to coax him out for an early surf, some of their night at the Governor's Gala, a few of the kids and a bunch of random shots she'd taken of Danny when he wasn't looking. Pausing on one of her favourites, her finger affectionately traced the outline of his face, a wave of longing washing over her. She loved him so much. And today she'd come close to losing him. Could she live with that kind of fear being a constant in her life? Could she truly be happy if she was always waiting for the other shoe to drop?

And say she did end their relationship, how could she continue to work beside him day after day, pretending that she didn't care? How would she feign indifference when he eventually met someone else? How did she pretend to be okay with the idea of him kissing and caressing someone other than her? The mere thought of Danny with another woman made her physically ill. Though she knew she couldn't choose to let him go and then not want him to find happiness elsewhere. That wasn't fair. But even acknowledging her own hypocrisy didn't make her feel any better.

Running a weary hand across her face, she climbed off the sofa and headed towards the kitchen. She didn't think she could eat anything, but a cup of tea would be welcome.

She'd just put the kettle on when there was a knock at the door. Much to her surprise and simultaneous apprehension, it was Steve. "Hey, Mindy."

"Is Danny alright?" she inquired, alarmed.

He lifted both hands placatingly. "Yeah, yeah. He's doing okay."

Instantly the tension drained from her body. "Thank God. I just assumed…"

He smiled, his blue-green eyes wandering over her features. "Mind if I come in?"

Aware that she looked a mess, she self-consciously smoothed her hands down the front of her sweater. "Yes, of course. Sorry," she added quickly, stepping back. "Please, come inside."

"I wanted to check if you were alright." When she gave him a curious look, he explained, "Lou might have mentioned that you were a little outta sorts."

She nodded, closing the door and gesturing towards one of the couches. Realising it was strewn with envelopes, she hastily moved to make more room. "I've been purging," she explained, dumping them all to one side. "I was about to make some tea. Would you like a cup?"

"No, thanks. I can't stay long." He sat opposite her, leaning forward so that his elbows rested on his khaki-clad thighs. "I went to the morgue but Max told me he'd sent you home," he said, his tone laden with sympathy.

She fidgeted, pushing her hair back from her face. "I don't know how much Lou told you."

"Enough for me to have drawn a few obvious conclusions." His gaze was sharp and assessing. "I can see you're not okay."

The understanding in his voice only made her feel worse. "You must think I'm being ridiculous."

He frowned. "Ridiculous? Of course not. Why would I?"

She waved a hand vaguely. "Because Danny's your best friend and I—" She didn't know how to finish that sentence.

Steve touched her arm. "Hey. Danny understands why you feel the way you do. So do I."

She swallowed, hard. "How is he? Really."

"Physically, he'll be fine." She could read between the lines, his unspoken words like jabs to her heart. "What about you?"

She drew her legs to her chest and wrapped her arms around them. "I don't know, Steve. This all happened so fast, so unexpectedly. I mean, one minute Danny and I were m—" Her face flushed when she realised what she'd been about to confess. For his part, Steve didn't react at all, a thing she was enormously grateful for. "Uh, long story short, him getting shot was not one of things I thought I'd have to deal with today."

"I know it must have been a blow."

"How do you do it?" she asked. "How do you leave your home every day knowing there's a chance you might not come back?"

He remained silent for a while, contemplating his response. "I guess I accept the reality of what my work entails. I mean, I chose this. Doesn't mean I don't get scared sometimes. But I know why we do what we do. I know that we save lives and at other times when we're not that lucky, we bring closure to the families of our victims. That's a big responsibility I don't take lightly. Neither does Danny."

Despite her inner conflict, her chest swelled with pride. "He's such a great cop. I honestly couldn't imagine him doing anything else."

"Me either," Steve smiled.

She peered up at him, her chin resting on the tops of her knees. "I didn't know how hearing he'd been hurt would make me feel. And now I don't know how to move past the fear that's clawed its way into my head."

His eyes searched hers. "I take it you're in love with him?"

"I am," she admitted, the thought of denying it never even crossing her mind.

"What do you love about him?" he probed.

"Getting quite personal, aren't you?" she remarked, wondering where his line of questioning would lead.

He flashed her a smile. "Humour me, alright?"

Indulging him, she rattled off, "His sense of honour and duty, his loyalty, his commitment, his dedication, to name just a few."

Steve quirked a brow, impressed. "Do you know that everything you've described is what makes him such a phenomenal cop? Danny is the best partner I've ever had. His instincts are better than anyone else's, his commitment to the job unparalleled. It's also the things that make him an excellent friend and father." He let the words sink in, their sincerity echoing around the room. "I guess what I'm trying to say is that if you love someone, you have to love everything about them. If you can't, there's no shame in that, but you have to be honest with yourself. And with Danny."

"I'm scared," she confessed softly. "I'm scared you're going to call me some time in the future and he wouldn't have been as lucky as he was today."

He inclined his head. "I get that. I also accept that our profession puts us in the line of danger more often than someone pushing paper for a living. But life is filled with risks, Mindy. Every day that we step out of our homes, we take the chance that we might never return. That applies as much to me and my team as it does to you. Granted, the stakes on our end are higher, but it doesn't change the principal." He shrugged. "Nothing in life is guaranteed."

His words had a profound effect on her, guilt rising rapidly in their wake. "Danny lost his family once because of this very issue. Then I went and opened an old wound when I freaked out."

Steve shook his head emphatically. "He doesn't blame you for that. You have every right to your feelings, okay?"

She blinked, determined not to cry. "I know, but regardless…I've hurt him, haven't I?"

Steve's silence confirmed it. "Look, Mindy, Danny doesn't take feelings or emotions lightly. He's not one to talk about it either. To him, it's about actions, not words. So when he loves, he loves deeply. When he commits to something, he does it completely, jumping in with both feet." He paused, his voice gentling. "You have to decide what it is that you want and what it is that you're willing to live with. If that's not Danny, I can't tell you that it won't hurt him, because it will. But he'll move on, he'll have to. And he'd never hate you for it. He couldn't even if he tried."

Steve was right. Danny wouldn't hate her. Knowing him, he'd probably wish her well because that's the kind of man he was. Gentle, generous, giving. If he cared about someone, he'd always put their happiness ahead of his own. Was that really the type of man she was willing to give up on? She'd have to be crazy.

"Would _you_ hate me?" she asked, surprised to realise how much the answer meant to her. She liked and respected Steve a great deal. She'd hate to disappoint him.

"Of course not." Then he hesitated. "But I do think you'd be making a mistake." He let the words settle between them before standing. "You gonna be okay?"

She cleared her throat in an effort to dislodge the lump sitting there. "Yeah, thanks." She followed him up.

Steve loved Danny and that's why he'd come to see her. He was too much of a good guy to guilt her into staying if it wasn't what she wanted, but it was clear he didn't want to see his friend get hurt. She was sure he didn't want to see her get hurt either. All he was asking was that she be honest with herself and with Danny. Mindy understood that kind of loyalty, she admired it. The truth was, she couldn't keep going back and forth between what she wanted and the fear of what might happen if she grabbed hold of it. She had a choice: Danny, baggage and all or nothing. She remembered telling him once that she wanted him just the way he was. Did he think she no longer meant that? She couldn't blame him if he did.

She loved him. She loved everything about him and no one had ever made her feel the way he did. Both Steve and Lou had reminded her that living held no guarantees. And if her chosen profession had taught her anything, it was that life was way too short to waste even a minute of it. She'd seen far too many instances where regrets came too late. She didn't ever want to feel that way. Ultimately, her decision boiled down to a simple concept: Danny the cop and Danny the man were closely entwined and separating the two was nearly impossible. She'd fallen in love with the whole, not just one part. So if she split the cop from the man, would she still feel the same way about him? Would she still love him if he was less than who he truly was? Was it fair to expect him to change when he was already perfect as is?

In the end, the answers came easily.

Steve opened the door, but before he stepped outside, Mindy grabbed his arm. "Wait. I need a favour."

* * *

 

Danny woke sometime after midnight, his leg throbbing fiercely. The nurse had given him some painkillers after dinner promising that it would make him drowsy and knock him out for a few hours. She'd been right. He'd slept deeply, but not long enough. Putting his phone down on the bedside table, he struggled to get comfortable. His ass was burning from lying on his back for so long, so he tried turning onto his side. The effort unsettled the pillows beneath his leg, sending two of the three falling to the floor with a soft thud. Cursing, he prepared to stand up to retrieve them when he noticed some movement from the corner of his eye.

 _Mindy._ His pulse leapt with pleasure when he saw her curled up in the chair beside his bed. In the faint light spilling from the beside lamp, he could make out her serene features, perfectly relaxed in sleep. She didn't look particularly comfortable with her legs bent to her chest and her neck set at an awkward angle. He was sure that if she didn't move, she'd likely wake up stiff and sore.

Momentarily forgetting his pain, he remained still, watching her for endless moments. Her hair was loose, falling forward across her forehead and over her shoulders, the pale shadows unable to mask it's shine and lustre. There was a book wedged between her knees, the title impossible to make out, but he was sure it was some classic novel since he knew those to be her favourite.

He smiled slightly at the thought. In the weeks since they'd started dating, he'd subconsciously stored so many little things about her. Things that some might say were insignificant, but to him painted a clearer picture of who she was. Like the fact that she preferred a bath to a shower, that she loved bananas but loathed banana flavoured foods and drinks, that she had a fantastic sense of humour but wasn't particularly fond of watching comedies. Amused, he lay back as other random thoughts filtered through his mind. He knew her favourite colour was blue, that she favoured inexpensive flowers to pricey chocolates and that she had a weakness for 90's boy bands. But in a more intimate sense, he knew the sound of her sighs when he kissed her, knew how she liked it when his fingers curled into the folds of her hair, how touching the backs of her knees made her laugh. He also knew beyond a shadow of a doubt how she made him feel: light, giddy, _new_. He could talk to her about anything and she'd always listen. Sometimes she'd offer advice and at other times she'd just be there for him, lending her silent support without making him feel judged or misunderstood.

Danny didn't want to lose her, but he didn't know if there was anything he could possibly do to make her stay. The fact that she was sitting across from him had to be a good sign, right? God, he hoped so.

As though sensing his perusal, she stirred, sighing softly as she blinked into wakefulness. Catching his eyes, she straightened, the thin blanket that had been draped over her legs falling to the floor.

"Are you okay?" she asked with concern, rising to her feet. She placed the book on the seat behind her.

"Yeah," he lied. "I'm fine."

She eyed him speculatively before bending to retrieve the fallen pillows. "Your leg should be elevated. Here," she offered, "let me help you."

"Mindy, wait," Danny said, halting her hands. "What are you doing here?"

She stilled, her eyes lifting to his. "My boyfriend was shot yesterday. I was worried, so I thought I'd sit with him," she whispered into the stillness.

A flare of hope ignited inside him. "I didn't know they, uh, allowed overnight visitors."

"They don't," she confirmed, her smile lighting up the room, "but I might have asked Steve to pull a few strings."

Their eyes held. "Look, about yesterday—"

She shook her head. "Let's not talk about it right now. You're clearly in pain," she said, her eyes accurately assessing the cause of his clenched jaw. "Not to mention the fact that it's the middle of the night. You need to rest. Let me help you get comfortable."

They stared at each other, so much still unsaid between them. Deciding to let her actions be his guide, Danny nodded. Turning onto his side so that he faced away from her, he lay still while she rearranged the pillows between his legs. Tucking the blanket around him, she touched his shoulder. "I'll be right back with something for the pain."

He watched as she stepped out of the room, returning minutes later with a nurse. The uniformed woman checked his vital signs and then injected the pain medication into his IV line. Before long, they were alone again. Mindy was standing at the foot end of the bed, rubbing the side of her neck.

"Are you hurt?" he asked.

She wrinkled her nose adorably. "Not really. My neck's just a little stiff from that chair."

"How long have you been sitting in there?"

"A couple of hours," she evaded.

He'd be willing to bet she'd been there since he'd fallen asleep. "Come 'ere," he said softly, his voice a little gruff.

Worry lined her face as she halted beside him. "What's wrong? Do you need anything else?"

"Climb in," he invited, throwing the covers back.

Her eyes widened. "I'm fine in the chair, really."

He shook his head. "No, you're not. There's plenty of room here. Hop in."

She wavered, biting her lip. He knew she wanted to. He could see it in her eyes. "Your leg—" she protested feebly.

"—is fine. Mindy, please," he implored, not caring if he sounded desperate. He just wanted to be close to her.

Nodding, she discarded her pumps and slipped into the bed before carefully turning onto her side to face him. Once he'd enclosed her with the blanket, he kept his arm around her waist to hold her close. She didn't protest, but burrowed nearer, depositing her head beside his on the single pillow.

Danny could smell her, the faint trace of perfumed soap and shampoo blending together, reminding him of the last time he'd held her like this. The way her eyes darkened told him she was thinking the same thing.

"I've missed you," she whispered, her nose bumping against his.

He knew she wasn't referring to the physical distance that had separated them, but rather the emotional one.

"I know what you mean," he replied, cupping the back of her neck and placing a kiss on her forehead.

"How's your leg feeling?"

"Better. The drugs are working," he assured her.

"Good." She was silent for a minute. "Danny? Are you sleepy?"

"Not really." While the pain in his leg was rapidly subsiding, he was now wide awake.

She tilted her chin back until their eyes met. "I know I said that we should wait to talk, but there's something I need to say."

His heart jostled against his ribs. "I'm listening."

Her eyes stared into his, open and unguarded. "I want to explain…about yesterday."

"Uh, okay," he said, his mouth going dry.

Her hand moved from around his waist to lay across his shoulder, her fingers wiping back and forth against the side of his neck. "After my conversation with Rachel, I thought very little about the things she'd said. The truth is, I brushed practically all of it aside. Intellectually I knew that she had valid reasons for feeling the way she did about your work, but I don't think I fully comprehended how closely danger follows you around. It was foolish of me to dismiss her. It was that very cavalier attitude that made the reality of Steve's call so much harder to process. It was the last thing I was expecting to hear, Danny. Can you understand that?" she asked intently.

"Yeah," he replied. He could. In her shoes, he'd most likely have felt the same. "But I never lied to you, never pretended to be something I wasn't," he explained. "You know the nature of my work. You more than anyone know the risks—"

"It's not that," she opposed, shaking her head.

"Then what?" he murmured earnestly. "You know you can tell me anything, right?"

"I know," she assured him, looking unusually nervous.

"Whatever it is, I can handle it." Liar, his subconscious contradicted. "Actually no. Scrap that. If you're building to breaking up with me, then you should know I couldn't handle it." Her eyes bulged in shock, but he forged on. Steve was right. If he loved her, he needed to fight for her. "I know you're upset, alright? I understand exactly why so I'm not going to make light of what happened…but I'm not going to lie to you either because that wouldn't be fair. Could this happen again? Yes. Will I do everything in my power to prevent it? Absolutely." He spoke with purpose, with conviction. "Mindy, I will not let you give up on this, on _us_."

"Danny—" she protested.

"Give me another chance, okay? Please, just—"

"Danny," she repeated, shaking her head.

"—don't let this one time—"

"I love you," she blurted.

Whatever he'd been planning to say died in his throat. He blinked, not sure he'd heard right. " _What_?"

" _I love you_ ," she reiterated, firmly.

"Mindy—" he breathed, emotion overwhelming him.

"I was terrified when Steve called," she confessed, cutting him off. "I kept thinking that you didn't know, that I hadn't had the chance to tell you." Her eyes grew moist and his throat constricted. "All the way here I kept imagining all these horrific scenarios. I'm a doctor, Danny. I see the ghastly ways people can die every day…" Her voice cracked, so she paused. Her hand cupped his jaw. "The thing is, after I left here I realised that Rachel's words had affected me far deeper than I was willing to admit, even to myself. It scared me to think about all the things that might happen to you on any given day and I worried that I wouldn't be able to handle it. Then both Lou and Steve made me think about the alternative – letting you go."

"Lou and Steve?" he uttered, stunned. "What do they have to do with this?"

She made a dismissive sound. "That's not important. What is important is the fact that I can't let you go. I don't want to." She halted, the emotion in her eyes plucking at his heartstrings. "I don't know how to stop worrying about you though, so you're going to have to help me with that." She gave him a watery smile. "You see, whole, broken or merely bruised," she whispered, her voice thick with tears, "I want you in whatever way I can have you, Danny."

"God, Mindy," he choked out, giving her a fierce hug. She loved him. The realisation washed over him like a balm, soothing his battered soul. It had been such a long time since someone had said the words to him and truly meant it. _She loved him._ The joy that swept through him was indescribable. Acting on instinct, he inched forward and kissed her. She leaned into it, offering no resistance as she opened her mouth to him, the saltiness of her tears mingling with the sweetness of her kiss. He realised they were becoming a bit too enthusiastic when he tugged her closer and her knee bumped up against his injured leg.

"Urgh!" he groaned, drawing back.

"Oh my God!" Mindy exclaimed, glancing down at his leg in horror. "Did I hurt you?"

The initial pain had been jarring, but it was subsiding. He took a deep breath. "No, it's alright. I just need a minute."

"Are you sure? I could have a look," she said worriedly.

She moved, but he grasped her shoulder. "I'm fine. Promise."

"Maybe I should get out of the bed."

His hand tightened fractionally. "Don't you dare," he warned. "The last time I held you like this was a full day ago."

Her face softened. Drifting towards him she gave him a soft kiss. "I'm sorry," she whispered, against his lips. "I'm so sorry for messing things up yesterday."

He shook his head. "Don't. You have nothing to apologise for, okay?" He tilted her chin up until their eyes met. "I love you," he said, earnestly.

"You do?"

His lips curved upward. "How could I not?"

She smiled shakily. "You make a good point."

He wiped at her tears. "I'm sorry, too. I should have been more considerate of your feelings."

"It's not your fault, either," she denied. "I guess this was bound to happen at some point."

"Yeah," he agreed. "Can we please never disagree on anything ever again?"

Mindy grinned. "I don't think that's a promise I can make." Her smile dimmed. "But as far as first fights go, I don't think I want to repeat this one."

His eyes traced her features in the shadowy room, so relieved to have her there beside him. "Me neither. Although, if every fight ends with you declaring your undying love, then, uh, we can fight any time."

Mindy laughed, the sound doing strange and wonderful things to his insides. "You're insane."

"About you, absolutely," he said softly.

Her eyes glowed. "I do love you, you know."

"I know." And he did know. He could feel it in the strength of her embrace, he could hear it in the tone of her voice, see it in the depths of her beautiful eyes. "Trust me, the feeling is entirely mutual."

Tucking her head beneath his chin, they didn't say anything more. There was no need right then. Danny knew they hadn't figured it all out yet, that their conversation was far from over, but for now it was enough that she knew he loved her and that he knew without any reservation that she felt the same way. The rest they'd unpack some other time. For now, he just wanted to savour the moment, to enjoy the feeling of her body tucked against his, of her hand resting gently over his heart.

It wasn't long before Mindy's breathing evened out, a sign that she'd fallen asleep. Smiling to himself, Danny closed his eyes, convinced that everything would work out alright.


	9. Chapter 9

The day finally over, Mindy packed up while she pondered what she'd buy from the grocery store to cook for dinner. Since Danny's discharge from hospital, she divided her time between work, his place and hers. Because Grace had asked to stay with her father for a few days, Mindy hadn't been sleeping over. Having the teenager around was an absolute pleasure, but it also meant that she and Danny had virtually no privacy. However, that aside, any time they spent together was precious and even though they hadn't shared more than a few stolen kisses over the past couple of days, Mindy wouldn't trade it for anything in the world.

She was so happy, so completely in love with him and it was exhilarating to know he felt the same way. She saw it in his actions - the way he looked at her, the way he touched her, the way he cared about her. Danny was fiercely protective of those closest to him and it thrilled her to know that she could count herself amongst those who were lucky enough to be loved by him. And she did feel lucky, especially when she considered that such an extraordinarily generous and loving man was wholly and completely hers.

Mindy had also had a lot of time to think about everything Steve had said and to put what had happened to Danny into perspective. She wanted him and if certain danger was a part of the package, then she would learn to make peace with it. Certainly the alternative, letting him go, had never really been an option.

Removing her lab coat and draping it across the back of her chair, she'd just shut down her computer when she heard a knock on the door to her office. Glancing up, she was taken aback to see Rachel. Danny's ex hovered awkwardly at the entrance, a cautious smile on her face.

"Hi. Mind if I come in?"

Mindy didn't bother to hide her surprise. "Uh, sure."

"Could we sit?" Rachel asked, pointing to the chairs.

Reluctantly Mindy acquiesced, sinking into the seat on her side of the desk.

"I know you must be wondering what I'm doing here."

"The thought had crossed my mind." Mindy hadn't forgotten what had happened the last time they'd talked - she'd almost broken up with Danny.

Rachel smoothed a hand down the front of her blue blouse. "When we met before, I said some things…"

"You called Danny incapable of change and implied that I was a fool for dating him," Mindy stated bluntly. She didn't see any reason to skirt around the issue.

Rachel seemed startled by her candour. "Yes, well, something like that."

"What do you want, Rachel?" Mindy asked plainly. "Danny told me that he'd asked you to stay out of his personal life. I don't think he'd appreciate you showing up here."

"I know," the other woman admitted. "He was furious with me and rightfully so. I interfered and I had no right." She paused. "I wanted to apologise."

Mindy blinked, stunned.

Rachel smiled, ruefully. "I can see I've shocked you."

"I admit I was not expecting that."

Rachel looked down at her hands and Mindy was sure she detected an aura of regret surrounding the attractive brunette. "Grace and Charlie both speak of you with great fondness. Since you're a part of Danny's life, you're a part of our children's lives too. I know we won't ever be friends, but I wouldn't want us to be at odds either."

Mindy didn't quite know what to say. This was not at all what she'd expected. "Why say this to me at all? Why now?"

Rachel pushed her bangs back. "The things I said to you was out of line and I had no right. Before Danny found out about that, he was merely angry with me about Charlie, a thing I admit I thought we'd be able to work through. But after seeing him the other day…" Her words trailed off. "Let's just say that I was left with the impression that if he lost you because of me, it was gap we might never be able to breech."

Mindy knew all too well how painful their temporary separation had been for both her and Danny. She could well believe that he'd not been kind to Rachel when he'd berated her for interfering. "So this is your way of making amends?"

"I'm not naïve enough to think that it's enough. After all, you two are back together, without my help," she admitted, "but I realise that it's time I stopped punishing him." For the first time Rachel looked surprisingly vulnerable. "We made a go of things a lifetime ago and it didn't work out. I need to let him go so he can find his happiness elsewhere."

A horrible thought dawned upon her. "Are you still in love with him?"

Rachel balked. "Goodness, no. Is that what you thought all of this was about?"

"I wasn't sure," she confessed, mollified. "But the thought had occurred to me."

Rachel shook her head. "I loved him once, yes. Perhaps a part of me will always love him. But we're not a good fit. We never were. We were young when we got married and realised far too late that ultimately we wanted very different things from life. And because we were both too stubborn to admit defeat, we ended up hurting each other." Her eyes, so like Grace's, met Mindy's. "You were right. Danny's made a lot of mistakes, but so have I. I have no moral high ground to cling to."

"Maybe Danny's the one you should be saying these things to?" Mindy suggested, aware of how much resentment he carried around because of Rachel's betrayal.

She nodded. "I know and I will."

"He's a good man," Mindy asserted, needing to hear Rachel admit it. "And a wonderful father."

A flash of guilt flitted across the other woman's face. "I know that, too."

Satisfied, Mindy nodded. Rachel stood, then hesitated. "I'm aware that I have no right, but I was wondering if you would keep this conversation between us."

Mindy frowned. "I don't want to lie to Danny."

"I'm not asking you to," Rachel assured hastily. "I want to tell him myself, but when I initially suggested that I apologise to you, he warned me not to. He was pretty upset."

Mindy didn't know why she felt sorry for the woman. Maybe it was because despite having attained the kind of life she apparently wanted – one of wealth, luxury and comfort – Rachel still didn't seem particularly happy. "I can't make you any promises, Rachel, my loyalty lies with Danny. If he asks me outright about you, I won't lie. But," she conceded, "I won't go out of my way to mention it either."

Rachel looked relieved. "Thank you." She stepped towards the door and Mindy rose to follow her. "I'm sure I'll see you around."

Mindy smiled. "Yeah."

Clutching her purse against her chest, Rachel departed a few seconds before Steve arrived.

"Was that Rachel?" he asked, surprised.

Mindy nodded, heading back into the office. "She stopped by to apologise."

"Whoa. I take it Danny doesn't know?"

Mindy shook her head. "And she asked me not to tell him. She knows he'll be upset that she interfered. Again."

Steve whistled. "Upset is possibly putting it mildly."

"Exactly," Mindy agreed, gesturing to the interior of the morgue. "Dr Bergman's in the next room. He's waiting for you."

"Thanks. You seeing Danny?" he asked with a knowing smile, watching her while she resumed packing.

She grinned. "I am. I just need to stop off at the grocery store and then run home to change."

"I'm glad you guys worked things out," he said sincerely.

"So am I." She touched his arm. "Thank you, again, for everything."

He shook his head. "There's no need. I merely hastened the inevitable."

Steve was right. It might have taken her longer to figure things out, but she'd have gotten there eventually. She was glad not to have wasted any more time though.

"I saw him earlier, by the way," Steve continued, interrupting her musings. "Poor guy's desperate for company."

"I know," she acknowledged. "He's had enough of prowling around the house and channel surfing."

Steve laughed. "Don't tell him I told you this, but I'm pretty sure he was on the verge of begging Kono and Lou to stay."

An idea struck. "Why don't you guys come over for a barbecue this weekend? I know Danny would love to catch up with everyone and I think it would help make him feel a little less isolated. He's still got a few days before he's allowed back at the office."

Steve gazed at her thoughtfully. "Yeah, that would be great. Want me to spread the word?"

"I'd appreciate it," she said gratefully.

"Alright. Tell Danny we'll see him tomorrow." Steve stepped forward and gave her an affectionate side hug before heading into the next room.

Smiling to herself, Mindy was about to close her purse when her mobile rang. "Hi Mom."

"Hello sweetheart. I'm sorry to disturb you at work," came the soft voice from the other end.

"Don't be silly. You could never disturb me."

She could almost see her mother beaming with pleasure. "Since you didn't make it to dinner last week, I wondered if you'd like to come tomorrow night? You can bring your new beau along."

Mindy shouldn't have been surprised by the invitation. She'd admitted to her sister that she was seeing someone and Aly had obviously shared that information with their mother. "I don't know, Mom. I mean I'd love to come, but I'm not sure if Danny's available. He might have his kids."

"Then bring them along," her mother insisted casually. "Your sister said that they're thirteen and four? I'd love to meet them. The more the merrier."

Mindy smiled. Her mother had been hinting at grandchildren for a couple of years now. She'd stopped being subtle about it. "Alright, I'll ask him. Thank you."

"Good," her mother replied, sounding pleased. "I look forward to seeing all of you. I love you, honey."

"Love you too, Mom."

Ending the call, Mindy grabbed her belongings and left the morgue, all the while wondering how she'd broach the subject with Danny. Meeting her family seemed like the next logical step in their relationship and she could only hope he felt the same.

* * *

Danny sighed as he flipped from one channel to the next, bored out of his mind. He'd been home for only a couple of days, and already the idleness was killing him. There was only so TV he could watch before his brain felt as though it was deteriorating. It wasn't so much the time off work that he found taxing, but rather the lack of mobility. Grace had asked her mom if she could stay with him after he was released from the hospital and surprisingly, Rachel had agreed. So for the past four days he'd had his teenage daughter for company when she wasn't at school, with his son popping around in the afternoons. Having Grace with him also meant that Mindy didn't stay over. She still came by every day after work and helped him with dinner, but always left soon after Grace went to bed. He'd admit it was frustrating. After all, it's not like he could ravish her with his kid sleeping a few doors down. However, with a planned sleepover at a friend's place, Grace had left for school that morning with all her belongings, promising that she'd visit again over the weekend.

Then, if his boredom wasn't enough to contend with, Danny's mother had also been driving him crazy. She kept threatening to visit him because she was convinced her needed some extra care. He hadn't told her about Mindy yet, mainly because that would definitely get her on a plane faster, but also because he wanted to ease the woman he loved into the idea of meeting his family.

He was pondering the possibilities of making that happen when he heard the front door opened. When Mindy stepped inside, a smile automatically spread across his face.

"Hey," she called, spotting him on the couch, her arms laden with grocery bags.

"Hey. What's all that?" he asked, eyeing the bounty she placed on the kitchen counter.

She flopped down beside him and leaned up to kiss him, her lips soft and pliant beneath his. He loved these moments between them, the quiet domesticity, the ease of affection. "That," she said, "is the start of dinner. But first, tell me what you've been doing all day?"

"Other than dodging my mother's calls, nothing particularly noteworthy," he replied wryly, wrapping an arm around her.

"Why are you dodging your mother's calls?" Mindy enquired, relaxing against his shoulder.

"I have a feeling wants to visit."

"And that's a problem because…?"

He pulled a face. "It's not a problem, exactly. I mean, she comes down every so often to see the kids and ever since she found out I'd been shot, she's been calling and threatening to come and take care of me."

"You don't need to look so horrified," she laughed. "Sounds like a pretty motherly thing to do."

"You do not know my mother, okay? I love her, but she's nuts. Do you know she once made me pretend to be my father just so she could get cruise tickets?"

Mindy looked impressed. "She's clearly a woman who knows how to get what she wants."

Danny snorted. "The entire experience scarred me for life."

Mindy rolled her eyes. "Is this why you don't want her to visit? Because she might employ your services as a stand-in husband for a second time?"

"God, don't ever say that again." He shuddered. "And no, that's, uh, not the reason."

"Then what is?"

He took a deep breath, feeling surprisingly nervous. "Well, I, uh, had an idea. I have some vacation days coming up and since my dad doesn't really like travelling as much anymore, I wondered if maybe you'd wanna come with me to Jersey to meet them?"

She sat up, her eyes widening. "You want me to meet your parents?"

He shrugged self-consciously, his heart beating a little faster. "Yeah, I mean only if you want to."

"Yes," she replied instantly, then flushed. "I mean, yes, I would love to."

His face split into a wide grin, pleased by her enthusiasm. "Really?"

She nodded, then bit her lip. "Actually, I have a similar request." At his raised brow, she elaborated, "My mom asked me to bring you and the kids to dinner tomorrow night. Aly will be there, too." She looked at him hopefully. "Think you'll be up for it?"

She wanted him and his children to meet her family. He wanted her to meet his family. Clearly they were on the same page. "Yes. Most definitely." He grinned sheepishly. "Well, if you don't think me hobbling in would make a bad first impression."

Her smile was radiant. "Not at all."

"So, we're, uh, really going to do this? Meet the parents?" It was an obvious step forward in their relationship. More than merely declaring their feelings, it implied permanence, integration into one another's lives beyond their current social and familial circles. The thought excited him.

She wound her arms around his neck. "Well, I'd say it's about time, wouldn't you?"

He nodded, his arms settling around her waist. "You're a very important part of my life and, uh, I want my family to know you."

"Are we—" She paused and he could almost see her mind working.

He frowned. "What's wrong?"

She licked her lips, her gaze focused on his throat. "Well, if we're going to meet the parents, that _means_ something, right?"

He tilted her chin upward until their eyes met. "Mindy, I don't want to be with anyone else. I know initially we said no commitment until we knew where this was going. I'm saying that I know where I want this to go and I am committed. To you. To us. To _this_."

Visibly touched, she blinked rapidly against the tears he could see forming. "Me too."

Relief washed over him. "Good." They stared at one another. "Though I should probably warn you, my mother's a lot to h—"

Mindy placed a finger across his lips. "It'll be fine. Stop worrying."

He sighed. "It's what I do, remember? My own daughter calls me paranoid."

"You are paranoid," she teased. "But it's kinda endearing."

He grinned like a fool. "Ah, well then, that makes up for the uneventful day I've had."

She eyed him sympathetically. "I know you're bored, but in another couple of days you can return to light duty."

"I don't mind being home," he explained. "I mind being home and not being able to do anything."

She wrinkled her nose. "Steve mentioned that he popped by to see you?"

"Yeah. He checked in and gave me some updates on the case. Kono, Chin and Lou were here too."

"See?" she said, settling back against his shoulder. "You had company."

"Not enough. I had to stop myself from begging them to stay longer."

Mindy's lips twitched as though she knew something that he didn't. "What you need is a hobby."

Danny looked down at her, brow raised. "You are not going to convince me to join some social club."

"Social club?" she laughed. "What are you talking about?"

"I know that look, okay?"

"What look?" she demanded, amused.

He gazed at her knowingly. "The look that made me take up surfing and then got me into a pool with dolphins."

" _Dolphin_ ," she corrected. "Singular. And you loved both experiences."

"That is completely beside the point," he argued, enjoying their light-hearted banter.

"That is the _entire_ point. I shudder to think what your idea of fun is," she teased. "Thank God you met me."

"I do. All the time," he replied softly. She went still, her amusement vanishing instantly, replaced by something deeper, more meaningful. Danny cleared his throat, glancing away. Suddenly the air between them sizzled. "Uh, by the way, that looks like a lot of food for only two people."

She swallowed. "Three. Where's Grace?" she asked, glancing past him and down the hall.

"She left this morning."

Mindy's eyes snapped to his. "Left?"

He nodded. "She's got a sleepover at a friend's."

"She's not coming back tonight?" she asked, a little breathlessly.

"No," he confirmed, heat flooding through his body at the blatant hunger written all over her face.

Her eyes darkened. "So…does this mean we can have our own sleepover?"

Danny's mouth went dry at the suggestive tone in her voice. "I am, uh, completely amenable to that suggestion."

"Good answer."

Shifting, she straddled his hips, careful not to disturb his injured leg propped onto the coffee table. Glancing down, he noted that her denim shift had ridden up to reveal a tantalising glimpse of her creamy thighs. With a smile that made his stomach do back flips, she leaned down to kiss him and to Danny, it felt like coming home. His hands cupped her cheeks so he could tilt her chin ever so slightly in order to deepen the kiss, his tongue entwining with hers. Her mouth opened to him, giving as much as she took. Her enthusiasm was a heady aphrodisiac, his own desire rapidly escalating. Hands everywhere, their mouths separated for only the few seconds it took for her to tug his sweater up and over his head. His chest bare, she ran her fingertips from his shoulders to his belly and back again. When he moaned, she tore her lips from his and dipped her head beneath his chin, her mouth leaving a trail of wet kisses along his neck and collarbone.

Desperate to touch her too, Danny's hands went to work on the buttons holding her dress together. His fingers felt clumsy and uncooperative as they fumbled, his breath catching in his throat when he finally parted the fabric.

"Jesus," he breathed, in awe. Her bra was a black lacy creation, the half cups barely keeping their precious cargo confined. Full and round, her breasts practically spilled into his waiting hands.

"You like?" she panted.

"I _love_."

Moulding his hands to each lush mound, he squeezed gently, encouraged by her throaty moans. The lace felt soft against his palms, her pink, pebbled nipples pushing against their delicate confines. Blood roared in his ears, his pulse thundering through his veins as he raked his thumbs across their surface, watching as she gasped with pleasure. Unable to resist, he bent his head, his mouth closing around one turgid tip straight through the lace of her bra.

She bucked against him, her hips slamming against his rampant erection. Danny groaned at the exquisite friction, sensation rocketing through his body. Her hands slipped into the back of his hair, kneading his scalp as she held his head against her. Wanting more, he pushed her dress off her shoulders before he unhooked her bra, dragging it down her arms. Greedily, his mouth went back to work, alternating between teasing her nipples with delicate flicks of his tongue and deep, drugging suckles.

She cried out, her body bowing towards his in wordless encouragement. Undoing the remainder of the buttons holding her dress together, he pushed it aside, his eyes roving lovingly across her naked body. She was perfect. Her breasts were pert and rose-tipped, a touch swollen from his amorous attentions. Her stomach was taunt and flat, her waist dipping inward slightly before gently flaring into her hips - which at present was covered by the scantiest, sexiest pair of black lace panties he'd ever seen.

Danny was sure his knees would have buckled if he'd been standing. Drunk with desire, he watched as she rose unsteadily to her feet. His eyes locked with hers, mesmerised by the haze of love and longing that flickered from their deep depths. Reaching up, she pulled the pins from her hair, shaking her head to allow the heavy curtain to tumble down her back. Standing before him in nothing but the alluring scrap of lace that served as panties, she was the most beautiful, most sensual woman he'd ever seen. And she was all his, he thought with a possessive pang.

His heart slammed against his ribs when she hooked her thumbs into the sides of her panties, dragging it slowly down her thighs. Naked before him, she was a veritable goddess. Flushing under the intensity of his scrutiny, her gaze flickered to his shorts before raising a seductive brow in question. Danny grinned, using his good leg to lever himself up so he could push his shorts and briefs down in one go. Mindy helped him, tugging it down his legs and out from under his boot. Dropping it to the floor, she climbed back into his lap, pressing her body fully against his. The feeling was electrifying, desire slamming through him with such a force it would have knocked him backward had he not already been sitting down. With his hands bracketing her hips, their mouths met in a deep, passionate kiss that liquefied his bones. Thinking became impossible as awareness took over: the brush of her naked skin against his, the sensation of her tongue thrusting in concert with his, the sounds of her pleasure-filled gasps as his hands raked over her body.

Reaching down, she grasped his straining erection and positioned him at her entrance, taking him deep with a slow, long slide. He tensed, the pleasure almost blinding. She was so hot, so wet, so tight around him. Buried to the hilt, his hands tightened at her waist, encouraging her to move. Following his lead, she rolled her hips forward and Danny's brain melted completely, his eyes closing in ecstasy. Allowing her to control their pace, he watched her rise and fall above him, finding the rhythm that pleased her. Their harsh breathing echoed around the room, each of them muttering incoherent words of love and adoration as they strove towards completion. Reaching between their bodies, Danny pressed his thumb to the nub hidden at the cleft of her thighs, watching intently as she came apart in his arms. The onset of her orgasm triggered his, wave after wave of pleasure washing over him until he couldn't breathe, couldn't think, couldn't speak, save for the unintelligible groans of satisfaction that issued from his throat.

Afterward they stayed like that for a long while, a tangle of sated limbs.

Eventually he drew back to look at her. "Wow."

Her face was flushed with pleasure, her eyes soft and slightly out of focus. It gave him a thrill of masculine pride to know he'd done that to her. "Does that qualify as make-up sex?"

Danny smiled lazily. "I don't know. But, uh, feel free to do that again, anytime."

She kissed him, softly, chastely. "I love you."

Tenderness washed over him as he pushed her hair back from her face. "I love you, too."

She snuggled against him, her naked body draped across his chest. Danny couldn't remember ever feeling more contented.

"Danny?"

"Hmm?" he murmured, trailing a hand idly down her back.

"About you being shot…"

His heart lurched. "Yeah?"

She stirred, but didn't raise her head. "I hope it never happens again." He held his breath. "But if it did, I want you to know that I'm not going anywhere. Not unless you want me to."

Seized with emotion, Danny hugged her tighter. "Believe me, I don't want you to."

He didn't know what he'd done to deserve her, but he wasn't going to question his good fortune. They were going to be okay. He could feel it in his bones.

"I'm hungry," Mindy said at last.

He chuckled. "Then I guess we should feed you."

He felt her smile against his shoulder. "Shower first. Food second."

"I'll be happy to help with both."

Mindy laughed, reaching for his sweater and shrugging into it before eyeing him, an appreciative gleam in her eyes. "I'm sure you can manage to get to the bathroom without any clothes on?"

He watched her, amused. "Considering you're wearing half of what I was an hour ago, I don't think I have much of a choice." He gaze lowered to her discarded lingerie on the floor. "And, uh, I don't think I'd look as good as you in black lace."

A flush of pink stained her cheeks as she bent to retrieve their rejected clothing. "Flatterer."

"You know what I'm getting you for every birthday and special occasion from here on out, right?"

Her lips twitched. "Oh, so _my_ gifts end up benefiting you?"

His eyes travelled slowly down the length of her frame, watching as heat crept up her neck and into her face. "Well, it would benefit you too. I mean, it's gotta come off and I'd, uh, be happy to help with that."

"How generous of you," she quipped, throwing at pillow at him playfully.

He shrugged. "Hey, I'm a guy who's willing to do the hard work."

"Yeah, I'd bet."

Laughing together, she extended a hand towards him. "Come on, Boy Scout, let's get you to the bathroom."


	10. Chapter 10

Apologies! The next chapter will be the last, with a short epilogue added to the end.

* * *

 

"Are you nervous?" Danny asked Mindy as they walked up the driveway of a single-story cottage close to the beach. Well, she was walking. He was ambling along in as dignified a manner as he could muster on his crutches. Grace and Charlie were a few steps ahead.

"A little," she admitted, cradling the bottle of wine he'd purchased earlier that day.

"You have no reason to be, you know." Though he was a fine one to talk considering that he felt a tad anxious himself. It had been a while since any relationship he'd been in had progressed to this stage. He knew how important this meeting was, not only to him but to Mindy as well.

"I know," she smiled. "But I can't help it. I feel like I'm bringing my first boyfriend home."

He grinned. "Ah. You're going to have to have to let me know how I compare to that experience."

"There is no comparison," she assured him, laughing softly. "Trust me, you're a vast improvement on an awkward sixteen year old boy."

Danny negotiated the paved pathway carefully. "Which part? The awkward bit or the fact that I'm, uh, clearly no longer sixteen?"

She glanced at him askew, a teasing smile tugging at her lips. "Let's just say that I've learnt to appreciate the combination of brains _and_ beauty."

Chuckling, his eyes swivelled ahead when the front door opened. Danny wasn't surprised. He'd seen the blinds moving when they'd pulled up.

A petite woman with a full head of grey hair, warm brown eyes and a broad smile greeted them on the threshold.

"Mom!" Mindy called, before being enveloped in a tight hug.

"Hello, darling." They drew apart and Mrs Shaw ushered them all inside. Her curious gaze paused fleetingly on Danny before settling on the children. "And who are these two beauties?"

Mindy smiled. "This is Grace and Charlie."

Mrs Shaw shook each of their hands. "Are you another grandma?" Charlie asked innocently.

The older woman's grin widened. "Well, young man, I'm not a grandma just yet, but I hope to be." Her eyes flitted briefly between Danny and Mindy. "Preferably sooner rather than later—"

"Oh wow, okay. Um, Mom," Mindy interrupted, sounding a little embarrassed as she tucked her hand into the crook of his arm. "This is Danny."

The full force of Mrs Shaw's scrutiny suddenly focused on him. Her gaze was open and assessing as she stared at him for a protracted moment. He felt as though he was being scanned from top to toe, her eyes missing absolutely nothing. It wasn't so much that she was looking _at_ him, but rather the feeling that she was seeing _inside_ of him. She was certainly direct in her assessment, hiding nothing of her interest. Meeting her inspection head-on, Danny was prepared to endure her perusal for however long was necessary. His own gaze didn't waver, allowing her the time to find whatever it was she was looking for. What must have been mere seconds later, but somehow felt much longer, her hand reached forward to take his. "Danny, it's lovely to finally meet you. Mindy's sister has told me all about you," she said with a pointed look at her daughter.

Beside him, Mindy rolled her eyes. "The pleasure is all mine, Mrs Shaw. I can see where your daughter inherited her beauty from."

Her wrinkled cheeks flushed with pleasure. "Flattery will get you everywhere, my dear. Please, call me Lynette. Do come inside and make yourselves at home. Dinner is practically ready. Would you kids like something to drink?" she asked Grace and Charlie. "I have soda as well as juice. Danny? Anything for you? Something stronger perhaps?"

He shook his head. "Not just yet, thank you, Lynette."

She nodded and accepted the bottle of wine before shepherding the children away.

"Mindy!" A younger woman stepped in with her arms wide. This had to be Aly, Mindy's sister. Though he'd never met her, Danny knew the pretty, willowy brunette had just turned eighteen.

"Hey! Aly, this is Danny. Danny, my sister, Alyson."

They shook hands. "I've been dying to meet you ever since Mindy mentioned that she was seeing someone," Aly said kindly.

"Well, I, uh, hope I don't disappoint," he replied, feeling a little self-conscious as he leaned onto his crutches.

She glanced at him contemplatively, her eyes sparkling with humour. "Hmm, we'll see."

"Aly!" Mindy scolded.

"I'm just kidding," she teased and Danny laughed. He liked her. "Come on through. Everything's ready. We were just waiting for you guys to arrive."

"I'm sorry," Mindy murmured, helping him out of his jacket after Aly disappeared.

Danny grabbed her hand, squeezing her fingers gently. "Don't be, okay? Everything's fine."

Her face softened. "I apologise in advance for any embarrassment my family is about to cause you."

"I can handle it," he assured, drawing her nearer.

She smiled. "Is there anything you can't handle?"

"Lots actually. But since I don't see any terrifying deep sea creatures around, I think I'll be okay," he teased.

Grinning, Mindy planted a swift peck on his lips. "Come on."

Leading him through the entrance hall, they walked into a spacious dining area. From what he could see of the house it was neat, cosy and immaculately clean. Everything from the wooden floors to the white-washed furniture looked well-used but cared for. The simplistic, down-to-earth atmosphere immediately set him at ease. Grace and Charlie were already seated at the table, a glass of soda in each of their hands as they chatted animatedly to Aly.

"Danny, have a seat and get off that leg," Lynette fussed, pulling a chair out for him. "I must say that contraption does look rather frightening," she commented, gesturing towards his boot. "I hope you're not in too much discomfort?"

"It looks a lot worse than it feels," he replied, sinking into his seat. "The doctor just wants me to be careful."

"Mindy says you're a police detective?" Aly asked, eyeing his leg curiously.

Danny nodded. "Yeah, I work for Five-O."

"You must be good then." At his questioning glance, she elaborated, "I don't know of any elite task forces who hire subpar candidates."

"He is good," Mindy piped up, pride evident in her tone. "Danny's one of the best."

Their eyes met and held and his chest swelled at her praise. "Is that how you two met?" Lynette inquired, forcing him to glance away from Mindy.

"Mom, you can at least allow him the opportunity to enjoy the meal before you start your interrogation," Mindy remarked, moving to help her mother and sister place bowls of steaming food onto the table.

"I'm sure Danny doesn't mind." Lynette fixed him with a stare. "Do you?"

He didn't dare contradict her. "Uh, no."

She flashed Mindy a triumphant smile before refocusing on him. "You were saying?"

His lips curled upward. "Uh, yes, that is how we met. I was working a case and Mindy was assisting her boss, Max."

"Was this the same day you two got stuck in the elevator together?" Aly asked.

"No," Danny replied, amused. Mindy had clearly told her sister a fair amount. "Different day, different case."

"You and Aunt Mindy got stuck? But you hate small spaces, Danno," Grace said.

He nodded. "It wasn't so bad."

"What happened?" his daughter probed.

"I had to calm him down," Mindy interjected. "I taught him some handy breathing techniques."

Lynette chuckled. "Did it work?"

"It did," Danny replied. "Your daughter is good at creating distractions."

"Really?" Aly mused loudly and Mindy flushed.

"Aunt Mindy took us to see the dolphins!" Charlie interrupted with boyish enthusiasm, obviously tired of being ignored.

"That sounds like a lot of fun," Aly responded, sounding suitably impressed with his news. "Did you enjoy it too, Grace?"

The teen nodded heartily. "All my friends were so jealous. Although my Dad was the most afraid."

"Hey!" Danny exclaimed, as everyone laughed. "Some things do not need to be shared in company, alright?"

"Don't be embarrassed," Lynette soothed, moving his crutches out of the way. "I'm sure your worries were valid."

"He's always overly cautious," Grace contradicted, much to the adults' amusement.

"Wait until you have children of your own, Grace," Lynette advised. "Then you'll understand your father's concerns."

The young girl glanced at him thoughtfully. "That's what you always say."

Danny nodded. "See? I know what I'm talking about."

Mindy, Aly and Lynette placed the last of the food onto the table. It smelled delicious. He could see fluffy white rice, a saucy chicken dish, grilled fish, mixed vegetables and a salad. His mouth watered.

"My tummy's growling," Charlie stated, eyeing the meal. "I want fish."

"Charlie, that's rude," Grace admonished, jabbing her brother in the ribs. The four year old wailed loudly.

 _Shit!_ This was not the time for his kids to start a fight. "Grace! Come on, what's the matter with you, huh? Do not poke your brother." Danny turned to his son. "Charlie, you know that is not the way you ask for something. Both of you, apologise, please."

"Sorry," Grace grumbled, her colour high.

Charlie sniffed, his eyes downcast. "I'm sorry."

Mindy squeezed both of their shoulders. "That's okay. Charlie, why don't you tell me what you'd like and I'll help you?"

Mindy listened carefully before dishing little bits of everything that Charlie pointed to. Danny was unaware of how his eyes become softer as he watched them, revealing far more about his feelings to their present company than he might have expressed in words. When his gaze collided with Lynette's, he straightened, noting the indecipherable gleam present in hers.

"Well, that's quite a feast you've got there, young man. You'd better save some space for dessert," she teased Charlie.

He shoved a piece of fish into his mouth, chewing happily. "I'd like ice-cream."

Exasperated, Danny touched his son's arm. "Charlie—"

Lynette waved a hand, unconcerned. "He knows what he wants. That's a good sign." She turned her attention back to the child. "Strawberry or chocolate chip?"

His eyes shone. "Chocolate chip!"

Laughter erupted at his fervour. "I tell you what. If you finish all your food, I'll make sure you get an extra scoop. How's that?"

He grinned adorably. "You _are_ like a grandma."

Lynette fairly glowed. "Why thank you, Charlie. That's a lovely compliment."

Danny's eyes met Mindy's. She was smiling over his son's head. He felt that familiar wobble in his chest whenever he looked at her, followed by the flood of emotion. Moving towards him, she took her seat to his left, her hand briefly resting on his thigh before she accepted the salad bowl from her sister.

Dinner turned out to be a very pleasant, very relaxed affair. Mindy's family were warm and engaging, going out of their way to make him and his children feel welcome. It was clear that there was a strong, loving bond between the three Shaw women, their interactions filled with the ease and familiarity of people who understood each other perfectly. As promised, after dinner Charlie got his extra scoop of ice-cream and made quite a mess consuming it while Aly and Grace chatted at length, reminding Danny that they were only a few years apart.

When it was time to clean up, Mindy, Aly and Grace disappeared into the kitchen leaving Danny alone with Lynette. Insisting he'd be more comfortable, Lynette escorted him from the dining area into a relaxed sitting room with overstuffed chairs and colourful pillows.

"From what I understand you're a New Jersey native?"

Danny accepted the cup of coffee she offered him. "Thank you. Yeah, born and bred. My family's still back there. I moved to Hawaii after my divorce."

She took a seat across from him. "And how are you liking it?"

"At first it was a big adjustment. But it's grown on me."

She smiled. "Did Mindy tell you that her father was a New Yorker?" Danny shook his head, intrigued. "Gregory and I met on vacation. What started out as a summer romance became much more when he followed me home." Her eyes got a far-away look. "He never admitted it, but I knew that it was tough for him at first, the change from fast paced city life to island living. But I knew this place would win him over and it did. By the time he was taken from us he couldn't imagine calling home anywhere else."

"Mindy, uh, told me about her dad. I'm sorry for your loss," he said, sincerely.

She shook her head. "Thank you, but it was a long time ago. I still miss him though, every day. He was a good man."

He took a sip of his hot beverage. "It must have been tough, raising two kids on your own."

"I couldn't have done it without Mindy. She pretty much took care of her sister and I after Greg passed. I think it was hardest on her. But we made it through." She glanced at him, adding quietly, "I want that for my daughters, Danny. The kind of love I had with their father. They deserve that."

So they were finally getting down to it. Danny placed his cup aside. "I agree, Lynette. I care about Mindy…I love her," he declared, seeing no reason to be dishonest. "And look, I'm not naïve enough to think that you might not want better for her, perhaps someone without the baggage of a failed first marriage and kids. But I swear to you that I would never hurt her or take her for granted. I just want to make her happy."

Lynette watched him, her eyes searching his for the longest time before she spoke. "I believe you."

Danny breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank you."

She reached over and patted his hand. "Don't sell yourself short, Danny."

He raised a brow curiously. "What makes you think that I am?"

She smiled. "Because my daughter is an excellent judge of character. You wouldn't be here if she had any reservations about you or her feelings for you." She paused. "As for me, Mindy's a grown woman who knows what she wants. All I ask is that you treat her well."

"You have my word," he vowed.

Their conversation was interrupted when Charlie dashed into the room again, his cheeks and mouth covered in chocolate ice-cream. "The Grandma's ice-cream was yummy!"

Lynette laughed, glancing from Charlie to Danny. "Can I assume that I'm 'The Grandma'?"

Danny shook his head. "Charlie, this is Aunt Mindy's mommy, remember? You can call her Aunt Lynette."

He frowned, glancing at Lynette. "But you look like a grandma."

Clearly his son associated women of a certain age with being a grandparent. Lynette chortled, drawing him close into a hug. "Oh Charlie, I would love to be a grandma. And if your daddy doesn't have any objections, you can call me Grandma Lynette if you'd like."

"Uh, I don't—"Charlie turned those blue eyes, so like his own, towards him. Danny hesitated. Making the allowance somehow felt significant. But he didn't know how to say no. Or even if he wanted to. "—uh, sure, I guess. Why not?"

"Why not what?" Mindy asked, re-entering the room with Aly and Grace.

"I'm officially Grandma Lynette," her mother explained, clearly amused.

Mindy glanced at Danny in surprise. "Mom—"

"Relax, darling. It doesn't mean anything—" she dismissed, sitting back. Then quietly, so no one but Danny could hear, she added, "—yet."

Mindy's mother had given him her stamp of approval. It didn't escape his notice that the implication of her words, which should have freaked him out, did exactly the opposite. A kind of warmth spread through him, accompanied by feelings akin to excitement and anticipation and strangely, of contentment.

Glancing up, he watched Mindy sit down beside him. "Everything okay?"

"Yeah. Everything's perfect." She smiled and turned towards her mother. Danny's mind drifted slightly from the conversation as he thought about what it might be like to have her be a permanent fixture in his life, in the lives of his kids. To not have to watch her leave every evening and then waiting impatiently for the opportunities when he could go to sleep beside her and wake up with her in his arms.

Interestingly, the idea was all too easy to imagine.

* * *

They landed at Newark on a sweltering day with temperatures soaring into the high eighties. After three weeks of paper pushing for Danny while he waited for his doctor to give him the all-clear, they'd finally managed to sync their professional lives so that they could get some time off together to visit his family in Jersey. This visit was important to Mindy. She wanted to meet Danny's family, wanted to see where he'd grown up, wanted to get to know the people who'd had a hand in shaping him into the man she'd fallen in love with. She could only hope that his family liked her as much as her family liked him.

"Are you sure you don't mind staying with my parents?" Danny asked for the umpteenth time, grabbing their luggage off the baggage carousel. "It's not too late to book into a hotel."

His mother has insisted that they stay with them and Mindy knew that refusing would be ungracious. "I really don't mind."

"Mindy—"

She stepped forward and placed her hands on his chest, effectively silencing him. "Stop worrying. Your mom offered and it would have been horribly rude to refuse. Besides, we came here so I could get to know them and them me. This way, it makes things easier."

He sighed. "You do realise we'll have zero privacy, right? It'll be worse than having the kids over at my place."

Mindy grinned. "So that's what this is all about? You're afraid your parents are going to catch us making out?"

His voice dipped slightly, his eyes glowing. "No, I'm afraid my parents will prevent me from doing more than, uh, just making out."

Her belly fluttered at the heat in his stare. "I'm sure you can bear a few days of deprivation, Detective."

"Now you see, that's the thing." He stepped even closer. "I'm not sure I can. But I do have a plan."

"Oh yeah?" she asked, smiling.

"Yeah," he replied softly, hands trailing down her arms. "There might be an emergency at some point that requires a particular doctor's care."

She feigned ignorance. "Anyone I know?"

His grin turned her knees to jelly. "Maybe."

"I'll be sure to remember that."

They were still smiling at one another when his phone beeped. "My mother's outside."

She felt a pang in her stomach. Mindy grabbed the handle of her wheelie case with one hand and grasped Danny's hand with the other. "You ready?"

He twined his fingers with hers. "Never mind me. Are you?"

She grinned. "Are you kidding? I've been waiting for this for weeks." Which was true. Despite the touch of nerves, she had been looking forward to their trip.

"Try to remember that when my mother says something inappropriate, okay?"

Hand-in-hand, they made their way towards the exit. "Did you text Grace to let her know we landed safely?"

"Yeah. She's still bummed that she couldn't come along." Because they were staying for a week, Grace would have missed out on too much schoolwork. Mindy knew they'd both miss the kids, but on the other hand it would be nice to spend some time together completely alone.

"Danny?" Mindy asked, her eyes settling on a blonde woman waving at them excitedly.

"Yeah?"

"I think I see your mother," she informed him, amused.

He followed the direction she was pointing in until his gaze came to rest on the woman in white capris and a matching pastel shirt. He tugged her forward. "Yip, that's her. Come on."

Mindy's first impression of Clara Williams was that she was energetic, vivacious and very chic. "You didn't tell me your mother was still a total hottie!" she whispered.

Danny shuddered. "I'm going to pretend I did not hear you say that."

"Danny! Welcome home!" his mother exclaimed, throwing her arms around him.

"Hey, Ma. It's good to see you. Thanks for picking us up even though you really didn't have to."

"Nonsense," she insisted, patting his cheek affectionately. "You must be Mindy, whom I've heard next to nothing about," she admonished, glaring at her son. "But that's Danny, always playing his cards close to his chest. Has done ever since he was a boy."

"Ma, please. Not here, alright?" Danny pleaded and Mindy almost laughed.

His mother rolled her eyes at him, before drawing Mindy into a warm embrace, the subtle scent of her perfume tinging the air around them. "I'm so glad we're finally meeting."

"Me too, Mrs Williams," Mindy replied sincerely, recognising where Danny had inherited those beautiful blue eyes from.

She shook her head, emphatically. "Not Mrs Williams, please. That was my mother-in-law. Just Clara is fine."

Mindy relaxed. "Danny's told me so much about you."

"Was any of it complimentary?" she smiled, her eyes sparkling.

Mindy grinned. Clearly Clara Williams knew her son well. "Actually—"

"Do not answer that, okay?" Danny interrupted. "It's a trap. I promise you, you do not want to venture down this road with my mother. Trust me. I'm talking from personal experience here."

"Now I'm convinced none of it was complimentary," his mother retorted, humorously.

"Can we just get going, please?" Danny begged.

"Sure." Clara linked an arm through Mindy's and extended the other towards Danny. "We'll get better acquainted while you pay for the parking."

Danny gave her an apologetic look before taking the ticket and heading off to a pay station. "Where's Mr Williams?"

"Oh, Eddie's at home. He's a nightmare to drive around with, so I told him to put some beer in the fridge and watch the blueberry pie." Mindy pulled her bag along as they strolled towards the parkade. "So, you're a doctor?"

"I am. Medical Examiner, actually. That's how Danny and I met."

She looked surprised. "He didn't mention that you're a part of the Five-0 team."

"Oh, no, I'm not. We just work closely together."

"Who would have thought murder would lead to romance?" she remarked drolly and Mindy laughed. "And you're from Hawaii?"

She nodded. "I moved away during college, but came back afterward to be close to my family."

"Family is important," Clara approved. "Which reminds me – how are my grandchildren?"

Mindy didn't realise how her face lit up. "Very well. Charlie's started soccer recently and in a couple of weeks, Danny's going to be chaperoning Grace's cheerleading squad to Vegas."

"Why am I not surprised?" Clara mused, her lips twitching.

The woman shared a laugh. "They miss you and would have loved to come along."

Clara smiled. "I know. I talked to Gracie last night. I'll have to convince Eddie that we need to visit."

They stopped and watched as Danny limped towards the ticket machine. He no longer needed the crutches, but he still had to wear the boot. Mindy was sure he'd be relieved of it at his next check-up. He was healing well.

"I never stop worrying about him, you know."

Mindy glanced at the woman beside her. "Because of his job?"

She nodded. "I don't know if I'd have wanted him to be a cop if the choice had been mine, but he's so damn good at it. I can't imagine him doing anything else."

"I assume it never gets easier?" she asked, thinking about her own fears. Clara glanced at her questioningly. "The worrying, I mean."

"No, never. I'll admit it helps me to know that he loves what he does, that he's making a difference. But it's hard sometimes. He's my only son." There was a tinge of sadness to her voice. Mindy knew that Danny's brother, Matt, had been killed.

"I'm sorry."

Clara squeezed her hand and they walked. "Thank you."

They continued in silence before stopping beside a blue Toyota. There they waited for Danny.

"Do you love my son?" Clara asked suddenly, her tone as casual as if she were inquiring about the weather. Taken aback, Mindy didn't respond immediately, so Clara continued, "My guess is that he loves you. He wouldn't have brought you here if he didn't. And with everything he's been through in the last couple of years, he deserves to be happy." Clara was watching her intently, her eyes boring holes into Mindy's. "I know he's a grown man capable of making his own decisions, but I'll always be his mother and my instincts will always be to protect him. So, do you love Danny?"

The woman before her was smart and shrewd, just like her son. Mindy knew she could launch into a lengthy explanation about why she felt the way she did. She could attempt to explain, in great detail, all the things about Danny that she loved. But she sensed that wasn't what Clara wanted. Like Danny, she'd value the simple truth. "Very much," Mindy replied softly, her voice resolute, her gaze unwavering.

Clara stared at her, her eyes examining, probing until Mindy felt naked. Then she smiled. "I think we're going to get along just fine." She glanced up to see Danny approaching. "I'll wait in the car."

Mindy released a breath she hadn't known she'd been holding. "You alright?" Danny asked with a frown.

Touching his arm, her lips curved into a reassuring grin. "Yeah."

Satisfied, his face relaxed as he gathered her close for a brief hug. "Come on. Let's get going."


	11. Chapter 11

It had been a couple of weeks, but Danny still revelled at being able to walk freely. No crutches. No boot. No pain. No light duty. He was back in the field chasing down clues, solving crimes and catching bad guys. It felt good.

Making his way down the corridor outside the Chief Medical Examiner's office after concluding a consult with Max about a pending investigation, Danny went in search of Mindy. He wanted to see her before heading out to pick the kids up from school. Predictably, he found her in the morgue, the back of her white her lab coat visible as she slid a body into one of the refrigerator drawers. The sight of her sent a surge of happiness through him. Since Grace had asked to stay over he hadn't seen her in almost two days.

He stepped deeper into the room. "Hey."

"Hey. What are you doing here?" she asked, a broad smile on her face as she slipped off her latex gloves and threw them into the nearest waste bin. "I thought I'd only be seeing you later."

"I needed to talk to Max so I thought I'd pop on my way out," he replied, gathering her close.

"I'm glad you did," she whispered, leaning in for a kiss.

His lips clung to hers. "You busy?"

She shook her head, her cheeks a little flushed. "Just finished. I need to do my report, but that can wait." She grabbed his hand, steering him out of the clinical examination area and into her office.

"My mom called this morning," Danny revealed conversationally. "She wants your opinion on how to treat my dad's gout."

"What?"

Danny shrugged. "Exactly. It's like she heard doctor and now she assumes you are the authority on just about everything. I told her to leave you alone."

"You did not!"

"Of course I did."

She poked him in the arm. "That was horribly rude. I'll give her a call later."

He perched on the edge of her desk, drawing her between his parted thighs. "Do not let my mother manipulate you, okay? She knows how to get what she wants and I promise you, if you give her an inch, your name will be down as their resident GP before you know it."

"Stop being so dramatic," she rebuked, her lips twitching. "Clara knows I'm not a GP. And I don't mind giving her some advice if she asks."

"I just don't want her taking advantage of you."

"I can handle your mother," she said softly, her hands resting on his shoulders.

"Okay, but do not say that I didn't warn you."

She laughed. "Fine. Is there anything else I should know about?"

"Yeah," he said, his arms sliding around her waist. "I've missed you."

Her eyes softened and her hands moved to circle around his neck. "I've missed you too."

"You have no idea how I've been looking forward to spending the weekend together." Rachel was taking Charlie and Grace to see her parents. "I'm sorry that our time together is dictated solely by my availability."

She bowed into him, the faint trace of her perfumed soap teasing his nostrils. "It's okay."

He shook his head. "It's not. I don't want you to think that I'm unaware of how unpredictable my schedule can be or that I take your incredible patience for granted bec—"

She placed a finger over his lips, her eyes meeting his. "You don't have to explain. I understand."

"Which somehow makes me feel even worse," he sighed.

"Danny, I'm not just saying that. I do understand and it's okay, really."

He could see the sincerity in her eyes, hear the conviction in her voice. "How the heck did I get so lucky, huh?"

"I ask myself that every day," she teased and he laughed. "By the way, what are you doing next weekend?"

He thought. "Uh, nothing at the moment. Why?"

"Remember Lisa from Dolphin Quest?" He nodded, vaguely recalling Mindy's blonde friend. "She's getting married next weekend. Will you be free to accompany me to the wedding?"

"Should be fine, yeah."

Mindy beamed. "Great. She's actually marrying a guy I went to med school with, Dr Jones. Well, Jones for now, but soon to be Stuart."

He frowned. "He's changing his last name?"

"Yeah. Lisa is an only child of an only child. Ethan is one of four brothers. Because she doesn't want her family name to die with her, he's agreed to take hers."

Danny was impressed. "Ah. Doesn't that complicate things though? I mean, do doctors ever change their last names?"

"It's not common, but it does happen."

A thought flashed through his mind. "Would you, uh, change your last name if you married?"

Something flared in her eyes but she blinked it away. "I've never really thought about it. I mean if I ever have kids I'd like to have the same last name as them but at the same time, I'm known professionally as Shaw." Their eyes held. "Perhaps it's a conversation I'll have to have with the man I marry."

Danny swallowed, his throat suddenly dry. "I see."

She bit her lip, her fingers fidgeting with the back of his collar. "Danny, can I ask you something?"

"Of course."

The deep chocolatey depths of her gaze fastened on his. "Would you ever consider marrying again? Having kids? Having _more_ kids, I mean."

Her question surprised him, but he could understand it. She was young, had never been married and had no children of her own. Logic dictated that it was something she'd want eventually. By asking him the question, she was essentially trying to determine whether they had the same vision for the future.

Danny chose his next words carefully because while he wanted to be honest with Mindy, he didn't want to hurt her feelings. "I'm open to it. It's, uh, it's not something I think I'm ready for just yet—"

"Of course not," she interrupted, her eyes wide. "Did you think I was vying for a proposal?"

"No. I just…I mean…" He wasn't sure how to articulate himself without causing offence.

She burst out laughing. "Danny, I love you, but I'm not ready to get married just yet. You can relax."

Relieved, he smiled, his arms tightening around her. "Look, I don't know what the future holds, but I can tell you one thing: the way I feel right now, at this very moment, tells me that there's going to come a time when we'll both be ready to move this relationship forward."

Her fingers curled into the hair at the nape of his neck, her touch sending delightful tingles dancing down his spine. "I'm glad to hear you say that."

"Oh, and, uh, I love you, too."

Her smile, vast and radiant, made his knees weak. When she tipped her head forward to kiss him, Danny tugged her flush against him, their mouths fusing together passionately. The kiss was deep and sensual, a groan emitting from his throat when she melted against him. Desire, hot and heavy, exploded between them, making him wish that they were anywhere other than her place of work.

With a moan of disappointment Mindy drew back, her breathing as heavy as his. "Detective Williams, you'd better leave before we get into trouble."

He grinned. "I like getting into trouble with you."

Her cheeks were rosy, her eyes shining. "Do not tempt me."

Unable to resist, he kissed her again, softly, slowly. Then he reluctantly set her away from him and stood. "I'll see you later."

Staring at the woman he loved, Danny realised that there were a lot of things in life that he was unsure about, but Mindy Shaw was not one of them. She loved him, she loved his kids and she wanted him just as he was. For a long time after his marriage had failed he'd wondered if he'd ever truly be happy again, if he'd messed up his chances forever when he'd signed the divorce papers that ended his first attempt at happily ever after. Then a couple of failed relationships had subconsciously reinforced his belief that his focus should be on his kids and not on the hope of finding love again.

But the he'd met Mindy and everything had changed. Something inside of him had clicked back into place when they'd found each other. Together, they made sense. He loved how the lighter parts of her personality perfectly complimented the darker sides of his - particularly the way in which her unending patience soothed his agitation, how her innate calm counterbalanced his frenzy, how her streak of whimsy compensated for his inherent pessimism. He'd never had that with anyone, not even Rachel. With Mindy he'd realised how much he'd craved that kind of connection with another human being and it was for that reason that he valued what they'd found together.

Walking out of the morgue, Danny found himself whistling an up tempo tune. He was happy and in love. The future seemed bright with possibilities and he was looking forward to every minute of it.

* * *

_1 year later_

"Is Mindy in today?" Steve asked as they exited his office and headed down the hall. They'd been called to a crime scene in a well-to-do suburb.

"Yeah, why?"

"Cause one of the techies just called with my lab results."

Danny shoved his hands into his pocket, stepping around a WET FLOORS sign. He'd dropped her off that morning because her car was in for a service, so he knew she was at the morgue. "Maybe she was busy with something else?"

Steve shrugged, unconcerned. "Probably. Anyway, I've been meaning to ask you when she's moving in?"

"What?" Danny asked distractedly, glancing at his partner.

"Mindy. When's she moving in? I mean, you guys have been together for a while and she spends all her time at your place these days."

He'd been thinking the same thing. "She can't move in."

"You don't want her to?"

"Of course I want her to. But I can't ask her to do that."

"Why the hell not?" his partner demanded as they exited the building.

"Seriously, what rock are you living under? I have two kids, remember? I can't ask my girlfriend to move in with me. What example would I be setting for my little girl?"

Steve snorted. "Firstly, Grace is not a little girl anymore. And secondly, welcome to the twenty-first century, Daniel. In case you haven't noticed, couples actually do live together without being married first." Danny remained silent and Steve's jaw dropped. "Unless…wait a minute. Do you wanna get married?"

Danny rubbed a hand across his temples, squinting into the mid-morning sunshine. "Well…" He paused and Steve did a double-take. "I don't know, okay? I mean, I've been thinking about it." A lot, he added silently.

Steve punched his shoulder. "When the hell were you planning on telling me?"

"Would you stop with the abuse already? Jeez. And there isn't anything to tell, at least not yet."

Steve's face split into a wide grin. "You wanna get married? _You_ wanna get _married_?"

"Maybe," he replied, feeling self-conscious.

Steve hooted with laughter. "Congratulations!"

"What are you congratulating me for, huh? Which part of _thinking_ about it do you not understand?"

"Please. If you're thinking about it, you've as good as made up your mind."

Which was true. If he was honest with himself, he'd been thinking about it for a long time. And even though his relationship with Mindy was nothing like his relationship with Rachel, he hadn't wanted to rush things. It wasn't that he was unsure about his feeling – in fact, he couldn't be more sure about how he felt - it was more a case of wanting to take things at a pace that was comfortable for both of them. But recently, what had started as a tiny seed in the back of his head had blossomed into something he literally couldn't stop thinking about.

"You, my friend, you are well and truly whipped."

Danny cocked his head to the side. "Whipped? Am I supposed to know what that means?"

"You know, _whipped_. As in tamed, domesticated, house-trained."

"Oh wonderful," he said sarcastically. "Thanks, Steve, really. I confide that I'm considering asking the woman I love to marry me and you respond by referring to me as a dog. Who needs enemies when I have a friend like you?"

"Well, that's not what I meant, alright? What's the matter with you?" Steve glanced at him. "Come to think of it, you've been on edge for days. You're happy, in love. You're not supposed to be this uptight."

"I'm not uptight, okay?"

"What's going on with you?" Steve demanded. "A second ago you had stars shooting out of your eyes."

"Nothing. Can't a guy just, I don't know, express himself however he wishes to?" he exclaimed, his hands waving in front of him.

"I know you, Danny. What's going on?"

"There's nothing—" He quit speaking when Steve quirked a brow at him. His stomach suddenly felt like a pound of lead had been dropped into it. "Fine." He hesitated, then said quietly, "I don't know if she'll say yes, alright? Are you happy now?"

Steve stopped mid-stride, staring at him as though he'd sprouted a second head. "Are you crazy? Is that why you're being such a grouch lately? Of course she'll say yes!"

"How can you know that? We've been dating for just over a year. The fact that I'm even considering this should be crazy."

"Does it feel crazy?"

"No."

"Well, then how does it feel?"

"It feels…right." He couldn't explain it. He just knew deep down into the marrow of his bones that she was the one. Perhaps he'd always known.

"Look, I've never been married and only came close once and you know how that turned out." They were standing on a grassy embankment overlooking the car park. "But if I met someone who made me feel the way Mindy obviously makes you feel, I don't think I'd hesitate. Maybe if I'd acted sooner with Catherine…"

"Hey, stop, okay?" Danny interjected sharply. "Do not go there, my friend. Do not question what you should or should not have done. You can't go back so beating yourself up about it won't make any difference."

"I know." Steve shook his head, as though to dispel unpleasant memories. "My point is that you should do whatever makes you happy. Mindy loves you. She'll marry you."

God, he hoped so. "Well, what makes you so sure?"

Steve hit his palm against his forehead. "What makes me— Are you for real? Have you seen the way she looks at you? Come on! Why are you even doubting yourself? You've got this!"

Danny exhaled loudly, the tense coil in the pit of his stomach finally unclenching. "Thanks. You know, sometimes you don't give half bad advice."

"Come on. I give excellent advice." They resumed walking, entering the car park. "So, when are you gonna do it?"

"Do what?"

"Ask her!" he replied impatiently.

Danny waved a hand. "I don't know. It's gotta be romantic and heartfelt, you know? She deserves that."

"Alright, I get it. You wanna make it memorable."

"Yeah."

Steve grinned broadly before punching him playfully in the arm. "You wanna get married?" Danny grinned back. "I'm happy for you, buddy."

Danny smirked. "I'm picking the tuxes."

Steve chuckled, unlocking the car. "Whatever you say."

* * *

Glancing out of the window of the glass enclosed bedroom, Mindy recognised Danny's car as it pulled up outside the sprawling mansion. The crime scene was particularly gruesome. The victim, a female in her mid-thirties, had been stabbed to death and left in a bloody pool on the floor at the foot of her bed. Having completed her preliminary examination, Mindy needed to bag the body and get it back to the morgue so she could process the rest of the evidence.

"Mindy, what are you doing here?" Danny asked, surprise evident in his tone. "I didn't know you were on this case."

She smiled by way of greeting and would ordinarily have kissed him, but refrained, aware of the amused looks they were receiving from the CSU team. Over the past year, their relationship had been the source of much amusement amongst their colleagues and while Mindy knew that no one meant any harm, she and Danny still found it easier to keep their personal and professional lives as separate as possible. That said, neither one of them were particularly fastidious about the rule and tended to play it by ear.

"I wasn't. But Max fell ill, so I offered to take it instead." She paused, noting that Steve was smiling from ear to ear. "Are you alright?"

He nodded, glancing from her to Danny and back again. "Yeah, I'm great."

"Okay, okay. Knock it off, Steve," Danny warned cryptically, before pointing at the body. "What have we got?"

Mindy automatically turned into work-mode, rattling off the demographic information of the victim.

"Any indication of when she died?" Steve asked, surveying the area.

"Based on liver temperature and lividity, I'd put TOD at around 6.30am. The housekeeper found the body when she arrived this morning."

"That must be the, uh, crying woman we passed in the hall," Danny remarked soberly, shoving his hands into his pockets.

Mindy nodded. "She's pretty shaken. But who wouldn't be if they stumbled across this?"

Steve's expression was grim. "Alright. Anything else?"

"Yes. There are old bruises all over her body, many of them in different stages of healing." She kneeled down and lifted the victim's pajama top to reveal the discoloured flesh on her abdomen. "She was abused, repeatedly. But she fought back. At least this time. I found some skin particulates under her fingernails, meaning that whoever did this to her, has some nasty scratches somewhere on their body."

"Clever girl," Danny murmured.

"I've taken samples and sent it ahead to the lab. It'll take a while to get the results, but if you find a suspect, at least we'll have some DNA evidence to use as a comparison."

"Guys," Chin called as he walked towards them, Abby at his side. "So, we talked to the housekeeper. Apparently our victim's husband was knocking her around. He's put her in hospital quite a few times."

"Where's the sonofabitch now?" Danny asked, menacingly. Mindy glanced at him. She could see he was angry. His stance was rigid, his eyes hard and focused. She removed her gloves and threw them into a nearby medical waste receptacle before stepping closer to him. She didn't say anything, merely placed a hand on his arm. She could feel the tension radiating off him.

"The housekeeper also said that an Aston Martin is missing from the garage," Abby reported, staring down at the tablet in her hand. "So I contacted the insurance company for access to the vehicle tracker and guess what? It's parked at the airport. He's booked a one-way ticket to Morocco."

"A country with no US extradition," Danny said.

Abby nodded. "Lou and Kono are en-route and HPD are already standing by. Flight leaves in three hours."

"Alright. Good work, everyone. Three hours means we've got some time." Steve turned, hands on hips. "Chin, call Kono and Lou and tell them to watch him but not to make any attempts to apprehend him until they absolutely have to. We don't want him alerted to the fact that we're on his tail. We cannot just assume that he's not dangerous. Danny and I are on our way."

"On it." Chin replied, reaching for his phone.

"Abby, let me check that tracker again," Steve requested, moving to stand beside her.

Mindy took the opportunity to talk to Danny. He was still staring at the body. "Are you okay?"

He glanced at her, his eyes filled with a strange intensity. "Yeah, uh—" He stopped, shaking his head. "Actually no, I'm not. Could I talk to you for a second?" He tugged on her hand, pulling her towards the door.

"Hey, Danny! Where you going?" Steve called.

"Gimme a few minutes, okay?" he replied, drawing her into the room across the hallway and closing the door behind them. It was a large dressing room with rails of expensive looking clothing and shelves filled from floor to ceiling with shoes.

"Danny, what's going on?" she asked, concerned.

"Okay, look, this is not how I wanted to do this—"

"Do what?" Her stomach was suddenly in knots.

"—but I was not expecting to feel this way when I entered the crime scene," he continued as though she hadn't spoken at all. "Moments ago we were standing over the body of someone, who for all intents and purposes, should not be dead, okay? The thing is, when I saw that woman lying there in a pool of her own blood, it reminded me that life is precious and far too short." His hands were gesturing as he spoke. "That woman, she's gone and-and so she has no time for regrets or missed opportunities or do-overs."

He touched her shoulders, his hands trailing up her neck to cradle her cheeks. He was staring at her with so much love, it made tears spring into her eyes. "What's going on?" she whispered, eyes wide, her heart beating so fast it almost hurt.

"I wanted to do this the right way, with flowers and candles and a beautiful dinner so it would be something worth remembering, because that's what you deserve. But then I got here and I realised that I don't wanna wait. Mindy," he said, softly, "I love you. I didn't expect to, but I couldn't help myself. You swept into my life and you just loved me...without ever asking for anything in return, without demanding that I make promises I wasn't ready to make. You accepted me. As I am."

She swallowed past the lump in her throat, not daring to breathe. "W-What are you saying?"

"It's not what I'm saying, but, uh, rather what I'm asking." He wavered, his eyes searching hers. "Will you marry me?"

Mindy gasped, her hands reaching up to encircle his wrists, her nails digging into his skin.

There was a loud knock on the door and they both jumped. "Danny, we need to—"

"Wait!" they yelled simultaneously at his partner, their eyes glued to one another's.

"Hurry up," came Steve's muffled voice through the door.

"Dammit, I have to go," Danny muttered. "But you, uh, you haven't given me an answer."

She felt overwhelmed, shaky, emotional. "Are you sure? I mean I don't want you to do something impulsive—"

"Hey," he whispered, his beautiful blue eyes clear and bright. "Do you think I would ask you something this important on a whim?"

She knew he wouldn't. "No."

"So?" he asked expectantly, the air around them fairly crackling with tension.

Marriage to the man who made her happier than she'd ever been? Who seemed to understand her needs and wants without her ever having to articulate them? A man who she could talk to about anything and everything, safe in the knowledge that she'd never be judged or criticised? A man who was dependable and respectable and made her feel safe and loved and cherished?

There was absolutely no decision to make.

"Yes," she croaked, launching herself at him. "Yes, I will marry you."

Danny sagged against her in relief, wrapping his arms around her in a bear hug. "Yeah?"

"Yes," she whispered, kissing him through a haze of tears.

"Danny!" Steve called again.

Tearing his lips from hers, he yelled, "I'm coming! God!"

Mindy laughed, so happy she could burst. "Go!"

He kissed her again. "I'm sorry, I don't even have a ring. I was going to plan this properly—"

She shook her head. "It's not important. We can talk later. Go catch that murderer."

"Okay," he breathed, reluctantly stepping away. "I'll call you."

She nodded, grinning like an idiot. "Be careful."

He opened the door and walked out backwards, their eyes connected the whole time. "I will. I love you."

Laughing when he knocked into one of the officers in the hallway, she waved him goodbye, shaking her head in wonder. Danny had proposed. At a crime scene. What should have been really weird, had just turned into the most romantic moment of her life.

* * *

_Another 18 months later_

"Seriously, you're calling her _again_?" Steve asked, incredulously.

"What? You have a problem with me calling my wife, huh?"

Steve's gaze flitted between the road and Danny's phone. "Well, three times in a row, yes. A bit excessive wouldn't you say? Even for you."

"Even for me?" Danny repeated, offended. "What the hell is that supposed to mean?"

"It means that you're paranoid and if I were Mindy, I wouldn't be answering either."

Danny ignored him and dialled Mindy's number again. For the fourth time the call went straight to voicemail. "Mindy, babe, it's Danny. Please call me as soon as you get this message and the three others I left before this, okay? Uh, I love you. Alright, bye."

"Why are you so desperate to get hold of her?"

Danny was frowning at his phone. "Because she always calls me back."

"Maybe she's on another call? Or in the bathroom? Or, I don't know…sleeping."

Danny shook his head. "No, okay. She always calls me back. Look, drive me home."

"What?"

"You heard me. Drive me home," Danny repeated, his mind focused on his wife.

He and Mindy had been married for over a year and honestly, every minute of it had been the best time of his life. Their relationship was so solid, so rooted in trust and respect and love that he knew without a doubt that they were unshakable. The wedding had been a small affair, just their close family and friends. Having been married before, Danny hadn't wanted a big deal, but would have gladly sacrificed his own feelings on the matter if Mindy had wanted to make a splash. Thankfully, she'd suggested something intimate and low-key. Even now, he could still remember how he'd felt when he'd watched her walk towards him, that feeling of starting something new and exciting, something he'd known into the depths of his soul would last forever. When Steve had asked him once how he'd known, he'd been unable to answer. It hadn't been anything tangible. It hadn't been a clear moment, or a sign of any kind, or even something she'd said or done. He'd just _known_. He'd felt it.

"Alright, fine," Steve said, making a U-turn. "But allow me the opportunity to say, 'I told you so' when this turns out to be nothing more than your over-active imagination."

"Just shut-up and drive, okay?"

Steve's teasing demeanour faded at the urgency in Danny's tone. "Hey, she's okay. Don't worry."

Guilty, he turned towards his friend. "Sorry for snapping at you."

Steve's lips curled upward. "It's okay. I take it as a sign of affection."

Danny merely nodded, remaining silent on the drive to the home he now shared with Mindy. Pulling up outside, he was out of the car in seconds, leaving Steve to catch up.

"Mindy!" he called, hurrying inside. "Mindy!"

"Danny?" Sweet relief coursed through his veins when she poked her head out of the kitchen. "What are you doing here?"

Danny made a beeline for her, closing his eyes briefly when his hands locked on her shoulders. "Are you alright?"

She looked bewildered. "Of course I'm alright. Why would you think I wasn't?"

He frowned. "Why would I think—?" he repeated, his voice rising. "Babe, when I call my wife who's nine months pregnant four times and she doesn't answer, can you begin to imagine what I'm thinking?"

Her eyes widened. "But my phone didn't ring. It's right here," she said, turning towards the charger in the wall socket – which had not been plugged in. "Shoot. I'm sorry. I must have gotten distracted."

Danny's eyes roamed over her frame, clad in leggings and a sweater that stretched across her protruding belly. Pregnancy suited her and she glowed, more beautiful than ever. She must have sensed his lingering anxiety because she stepped closer, her hands sweeping across his jaw before leaning in to give him a soft kiss. "I'm sorry," she whispered against his lips. She kissed him again. "I didn't mean to make you worry."

Danny felt his resistance crumbling. Even as he shook his head, his hands pulled her closer until her belly bumped up against him. "Don't do that, okay? It won't work."

"Do what?" she asked innocently, kissing his cheek, then the corner of his mouth.

He tried to remember what he'd been saying, but it was getting harder to concentrate. "You're deliberately trying to distract me."

She kept kissing him, little feather-light caresses that were melting him from the inside out. "Is it working?" she teased.

It was. It always did. And she knew it. He gathered her close, his nose bumping against hers.

"I'm okay," she continued, softly. Then grasping his hands, she placed them on her rounded belly. She held her hand over his for a heartbeat and then he felt it – a hard kick. "We're _both_ okay."

His worry and unease started to dissipate. Closing his eyes briefly, he relaxed, his hands smoothing over her abdomen. Her loved her pregnant body, loved looking at her and touching her. It had been such a long time since he'd had any experience in the field. Grace was almost sixteen and he hadn't really been around Rachel much when she'd carried Charlie – for obvious reasons. But this time felt new, different. Maybe it was because it was Mindy and every experience with her felt that way.

"Any idea when this kid will be making his or her entrance?" Danny asked, affectionately patting her bump. Apart from early bouts of fatigue and nausea, it had been relatively smooth sailing for her. But he knew the last month or two had started taking its toll. She was uncomfortable and tired and as anxious as he was to meet their child.

She smiled, looking down at his hands. "Today, I hope."

His eyes bulged. "What?"

"Now don't panic," she warned, tightening her hold on his hands. "I've only had some mild contractions—"

" _Only_ _mild contractions_?!" he yelled. _Jesus._ The baby was coming. He could feel his temperature rising.

Completely calm in the face of his near-meltdown, she shook her head. "They're minor, Danny. My water hasn't even broken yet. I was just making sure that everything was in my bag before calling you."

He grabbed her hand. "Then let's go."

"But my things," she protested.

"Steve!" he barked. His friend poked his head through the front door and smiled at Mindy. "Can you please get her bags? We're going to the hospital."

Steve's stared, agog. "You're in labour?"

Mindy rolled her eyes. "Early days. But yes, I think so."

"Where's everything?" he asked, springing into motion.

"The nursery," Danny replied, steering his wife towards the front door.

"Can I at least put on a pair of shoes?" she asked, grinding to a halt.

Danny glared at her. "You have twenty seconds."

Mindy sighed and waddled in the direction of their bedroom while he waited anxiously at the door. When he heard her yelp, he sprinted after her. "What is it?"

She was looking down at the puddle around her bare feet. "My water just broke."

He cursed. "Steve! Start the car!"

"There's no need to rush," she assured him. "It's likely to be a while yet."

He tried not to panic. He faced dangerous criminals with guns with less fear than he felt at that moment. "I have to call your mother. And my mother. And Grace. And the hospital. We have to let them know—"

Mindy grabbed his face between her hands. "Breathe," she ordered. He inhaled on command, his heart beating wildly in his chest. "Everything's going to be fine. Women give birth every four seconds and luckily for us, the hospital is only a short drive away. There's plenty of time."

As her words washed over him, he felt his heartbeat slowing, his fear subsiding. Instinctively his hands reached for her belly and her eyes misted with tears. For the first time he realised that she might be feeling a little anxious too. And he really wasn't helping.

He pulled himself together. "Our baby's coming. We're gonna do this."

She smiled tremulously and nodded.

Danny helped her change quickly before bundling her into the car and heading to the hospital. And he was glad that he did. It wasn't long thereafter that her labour started in earnest, their baby well on its way. Danny stayed with her the whole time, rubbing her back gently while reminding her to breathe between words of praise and encouragement. Six agonising hours later, Danny and Mindy welcomed their new son into the world. Weighing in at just shy of nine pounds, he was perfect…and Danny was in love.

* * *

Opening her eyes, Mindy's first sight was of her husband standing in the middle of her hospital room, cradling their son in his arms. But more than that, it was the look on his face, one of wonder, of complete and utter adoration that made her eyes grow moist. The past year and half had been filled with all manner of blessings, but this new addition to their family was by far the greatest.

She felt exhausted, but in the best possible way. Her labour had been intense, but thankfully uncomplicated.

"Everything okay over there?" she asked, slowly moving into a sitting position.

Danny glanced up and beamed. "We're just, uh, getting to know each other." He stopped at her bedside and smoothed a hand over her hair. "How are you feeling?"

She pressed a kiss into his palm. "I'm fine. Can I hold him, please?"

"Scoot up."

She shifted slightly and Danny sat down beside her. Gently, he eased their baby into her arms. Holding the little bundle swaddled tightly in a light blue blanket, Mindy leaned down and placed a soft kiss on his downy head. He was so beautiful and she could hardly believe that he was theirs. A wave of unadulterated love and joy swept through her as she looked at the life they'd created together.

"He's perfect," she whispered. Blinking at them with heavy lids, their son's cherubic face as yet gave no indication as to which of his parents he'd eventually resemble. Though it was easy to see that he'd inherited the tuft of dark hair on his head from his mother, and his eyes, as blue as the Hawaiian ocean, from his father.

"Yeah, he is." Her husband placed the tip of his finger into the baby's hand and smiled when he grasped it tightly. For a moment they sat in silence, both absorbing the wonder of their mutual contentment. "So, what are we gonna to call him?"

Since they hadn't wanted to know the sex of the baby, they'd discussed names for both boys and girls but hadn't reached a consensus on either. Though she hadn't mentioned it to Danny, there was one name she thought would be particularly appropriate. "Actually, I have one that I think you'll like."

Danny glanced down at her. "We are not naming our kid Ezra."

"What's wrong with Ezra?" she asked, amused. "It's a beautiful name."

"Ezra Williams? No. That does not sound right, okay?"

Mindy laughed softly. "I wasn't serious about that suggestion."

"Good. Because that was never happening anyway." She rolled her eyes. "What's the name?" he asked, watching the baby.

"I was thinking about…Matthew. After your brother."

Danny went completely still, his eyes lifting to meet hers. She could see the raw emotion in them, the sheen of tears completely destroying her determination not to cry. Right after they'd returned from their first trip to Jersey, Danny had told her the truth about what had happened to Matt and what he'd done as a consequence of his brother's murder. Her heart had broken for him because she knew how deeply his brother's death had affected him and how much he had risked by telling her the truth. If anything, his admission had only made her love him more.

"What do you think?"

He paused, looking a little overwhelmed. "Are you sure?"

"Absolutely," she replied, tracing the line of his jaw affectionately.

He captured her hand, kissing her fingers. "Thank you. And not just for the name, but for agreeing to share your life with me and my kids. This past year….it's been the happiest of my life and that's all because of you."

She leaned into him. "You don't have to thank me. I consider myself to be the lucky one."

He kissed her softly, tenderly. Then they turned back to look at their son.

"Matthew Williams it is." When Mindy glanced at him askew, he asked, "What? What's that look?"

She pursed her lips. "Well, I think Matthew _Steven_ Williams sounds better."

Danny's mouth dropped open. "You're not serious."

"Why not? You know you want to," she said knowingly.

He shook his head. "Absolutely not. We are not naming our kid after that maniac."

Mindy tried hard not to laugh. "That maniac also happens to be your best friend. Who you love and admire very much. And who makes sure that you come home safely to me every night."

Danny sighed loudly. "Fine. You have a point."

She smiled indulgently. "Come on. Be honest. It's got a nice ring to it."

"I guess it kinda does."

"So we're agreed?"

"What about Gregory? Don't you want to use your Dad's name?"

"We can use it next time," she deflected.

" _Next time_?" Danny exclaimed, his eyebrows shooting upwards. "You've just given birth and you're already talking about _next time_? Christ Mindy."

She grinned, knowing Danny would agree to give her a soccer team if it would make her happy. Incidentally, that wasn't what she was hoping for. But one more in another year or so would balance their current family of five rather nicely. "Don't change the subject. Are we agreed on our son's name?"

He looked at her, his eyes soft as butter. "Thank you. This means the world to me."

"I know." They shared another kiss. "Now go call Steve so you can tell him the good news."

Just then there was a knock at the door and the object of their discussion poked his head inside. "Are Mr and Dr Williams taking visitors?"

Danny glanced at her, a gleam of pride in his eyes. She'd been Dr Williams for more than a year now but she still got a little thrill whenever she heard it. "We most certainly are. Come on in."

Steve pushed the door wide and much to Mindy's delight Grace and Charlie rushed in behind him. Danny's kids from his first marriage were a big part of their lives and Mindy adored them.

Steve hugged and kissed her. "Congratulations. He's beautiful. Although, I still think you should have picked me."

Mindy laughed at Steve's wink. "Thank you, but I'm happy with my choice."

"Hey, get away from my wife, you knucklehead. Get your own wife and stop trying to steal mine."

Steve moved aside and congratulated his best friend, the two men exchanging exuberant hugs and back slaps.

Beside her, Grace moved closer. "Are you okay, Aunt Mindy?"

She squeezed the girl's hand. "I'm fine, thank you."

Curious, her step-daughter leaned forward and examined the baby's features. "He's so tiny," she whispered in awe.

"He'll grow really fast, you'll see. Would you like to hold him?" Mindy asked, pleased when the teenager nodded eagerly. Depositing the baby into his sister's arms, she sat back and watched them. Charlie had come to stand on her side of the bed, staring in wide-eyed fascination. "Would you like to hold him, too?"

The golden-haired boy swallowed nervously. "Can I?"

"Of course," Mindy assured him, running a hand over the back of his head.

"Come on up here, buddy," Danny instructed, lifting the child so that he sat at the end of the bed. While Danny placed the baby into his eldest son's arms, Kono, Lou, Chin and Abby entered, laden with flowers, balloons and well wishes.

"I think he looks like you, Danny," Chin observed, peering over Charlie's shoulder at the newborn.

"Mindy, are you sure he's the father?" Lou teased. "This kid's way too cute."

"Ha ha. Very funny," Danny retorted and everyone laughed.

"He's gorgeous, guys. Congratulations," Abby said, watching as Charlie handed the baby to Kono.

The attractive detective swayed gently as she held the precious bundle. "Have you guys named him yet?"

When Danny's eyes locked on hers, she quirked a brow. He cleared his throat. "Uh, yeah, we have. His name is, uh, Matthew Steven."

The room went silent as everyone turned towards Steve. He'd gone stock-still, his eyes wide with surprise. He straightened, his gaze darting between Danny and Mindy and the baby. "Steven?" he repeated, his voice trembling slightly.

Danny smiled sheepishly. "Yeah. My wife thought it was important to honour one of the most important people in our lives." He touched his friends shoulder. "And uh, so did I."

Steve grabbed Danny and hugged him tightly. "Thanks, buddy. It's a huge honour."

Seeing the Danny and Steve together, Mindy knew they'd made the right choice. Steve was more than just a friend to them, he was family. All the members of Five-O were.

"Knock knock."

Mindy glanced around to see her mother and sister entering the room with Max and Jerry hot on their heels. Another wave of hugs and kisses followed pleas to hold the baby. Smiling to herself, she watched the people in her life as they laughed and joked with one another. She could hardly believe there was so much love and happiness in one room. Except for her in-laws, who were already en-route to meet their new grandson, everyone she cared most about in the world was right beside her. She honestly couldn't wish for anything more.

Across the room her eyes met Danny's and her heart swelled at the love and devotion she could clearly see blazing back at her. She'd found her match when she'd found Danny Williams and she knew she was the luckiest woman alive.

THE END


End file.
